Dungannon Swifts outplay Glentoran

The victory moves Dungannon ahead of Glenavon in the table and nine points clear of Donegal Celtic who they play on Saturday in the final game before the split.

The Glens did not take long to hit the front with Andrew Waterworth hitting his 20th goal of the season on six minutes.

Jason Hill made the break on the left flank, keeper Johnny Curran dashed out to close him down but the full back fired a shot under his body and Waterworth beat two defenders in a race for the ball to get the slightest touch to help it into the net.

Waterworth was unlucky not to double the lead on 13 minutes with a firmly hit shot but Curran made a fine save. On 24 minutes Stephen McAlorum wasted a good chance when the ball fell to him just inside the box but he lashed the ball past the upright.

The visitors found a way back into the game on 28 minutes when a corner from Neal Gawley was flicked on by James Costello and his tame shot beat a ruck of players and rolled into the corner of the net.

After getting back on level terms the Swifts went one better after Michael McKerr burst through midfield past Callacher, David Howland tried to recover the damage but as Morris came out to narrow the angle the Dungannon striker buried the ball into the far corner on 39 minutes.

Waterworth had a chance to reply quickly but lifted his shot over the bar from ten yards.

Two chances early in the second half gave the home side the chance to level but Clarke could only direct his shot at the keeper and then Jim O'Hanlon fired over the bar after being set up by a neat back heel from Murray.

The Glens brought Stephen Carson off the bench but it was the Swifts who found the net again on 64 minutes with another superb finish. The ball was played through to James Costello by Grant Hutchinson and he was in the clear to curl a lovely right foot shot into the top corner of the net.

Carl McComb almost pulled a goal back soon after but his header drifted over the bar. With four minutes to go David Howland gave the Glens some hope when he got on the end of a Carson cross to head home from close range.

Colin Nixon had a chance to salvage a point but his close range shot rolled wide of the post.