LARNE DOUBLE UP JUST BEFORE THE BREAK

Larne defeated Dungannon Swifts courtesy of two goals late in the first half at Stangmore Park.

Paul O'Neill might have broken the deadlock for the visitors with less than a quarter-of-an-hour on the clock when he connected with a Levi Ives ball but found keeper Declan Dunne equal to the challenge.

Larne were denied again midway through the first half when Joe Thomson's strong effort from close range was only kept out by a goalline clearance from Chris Hegarty who turned it against the post before the danger was hacked clear.

Dungannon threatened themselves just after the half-hour mark when Kealan Dillon slipped the ball off for Joe Moore he found Larne keeper Rohan Ferguson in superb form to deal with the threat.

The visitors found a way through four minutes from the break. Dunne had done well to initially keep out a Thomson effort but the ball fell into the path of Leroy Millar who duly touched the ball into the empty net.

Then, in first half stoppage time, it was 2-0 to Larne after a Millar strike was pushed away but only against defender Steven Scott who couldn't stop the ball coming off him and over the line.

To their credit Dungannon attempted to take the game to the visitors after the break, but couldn't really find a way of getting past the defence.

That was, however, the last few minutes of the game when a flurry of chances looked like producing that elusive goal that would have set up a grandstand finish.

Moore had a huge opportunity when presented with a header from the edge of the box but he couldn't direct the ball past Ferguson, while Ben Gallagher raced clear not long after that only to fire over.

Then, Dean Curry offered up a half volley that was turned away for a corner as Larne held on to their two goal advantage to see the game out.

Dungannon Swifts: Dunne, Scott, Curry, Marron, Hegarty, Dillon, Scott, Moore, Alves, Mitchell, Bigirimana subs Henderson, Knowles, Devine, Gallagher, Maguire, Hutchinson, Galvin

Larne: Ferguson, Donnelly, Thomson, O’Neill, Bonis, Ives, Bolger, Millar, Cosgrove, Gallagher, Orozco subs McAdams, Kearns, Randall, Glynn, Graham, Sloan, Ryan