Irish Premiership: Linfield win title after Glentoran draw with Larne

Thomson opened the scoring against his former club in the 11th minute, seizing on a weak clearance to half-volley through a crowded box with Rohan Ferguson unable to keep it out as the ball trickled across the line.

Declan Devine’s charges tightened their grip minutes after the restart.

Dylan Connolly’s deflected cross looped towards the edge of the area, where Thomson scuffed an effort that crept into the bottom corner to make it 2-0.

But the visitors roared back just before the hour mark. Graham’s fierce drive stung the palms of Daniel Gyollai, and when Ryan’s follow-up broke kindly for O’Neill, the striker stabbed home from close range to set up a tense final half-hour.

The turnaround was complete in the 67th minute. Aaron Wightman clattered into Graham inside the box, leaving the referee with little choice.

Up stepped Ryan, who sent Gyollai the wrong way from 12 yards to draw the away side level.

The east Belfast side should have been out of sight by then, with Thomson spurning a golden first-half chance.

Meanwhile, the visitors thought they had equalised on the stroke of half-time, only for O’Neill’s cool finish from a Tomas Cosgrove cross to be ruled offside.