Irish Premiership: Larne seal second place with Glentoran draw

Glenavon had the first attack on goal just three minutes into the game.

David Toure swung in a cross from the right that had Carrick goalkeeper Jack McIntyre at full stretch to keep the ball out.

However, on 16 minutes McIntyre could do nothing about Glenavon’s opener.

Paul McGovern raced clear and was half-tackled by Carrick’s Benjamin Buchanan-Rolleston, but the ball rolled kindly back into his path allowing him to neatly slide the ball past McIntyre.

Glenavon continued to dominate play and could have doubled their advantage nine minutes after, when a scramble in the Carrick box courtesy of some poor home defending, allowed McGovern to shoot, but he could only fire over the crossbar from 10 yards.

Rangers’ first chance came just before the break. An in-swinging corner was met at the back post by Ben McFarland, but the midfielder failed to get his header on target.

Just five minutes after the break Glenavon got their second. Ben Wilson produced a smart back-heel down the right flank which found Peter Campbell on the edge of the area, and he curled a left-footed effort that nestled into the bottom left-hand corner.

There was still time for two more goals, first, after missing an open goal, Aaron Heaney was played in down the right by Campbell on 76 minutes, and the forward made no mistake, drilling the ball past McIntyre.

Then on 85 minutes, Campbell once more cut inside from the right onto his favoured left foot before he bent a stunning shot into the far corner beyond the outstretched McIntyre.

Stephen Baxter’s side will now prepare for Tuesday’s promotion/relegation play-off first leg away to Championship side Annagh United.