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Steven Crawford

Larne take a step closer to title dream after impressive win over Glentoran

Larne shook off their Irish Cup disappointment to stretch their lead at the top of the Irish Premiership to seven points thanks to a 2-0 win over Glentoran.

They were left licking their wounds seven days ago as Ballymena United dumped them out at the semi-final stage, but that was put to bed in some style with an impressive display at Inver Park.

Early goals from Michael Glynn and Lee Bonis gave them a deserved lead that they never looked like relinquishing against a Glens side which struggled in front of goal.

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Tiernan Lynch made three changes to the side which lost to Ballymena United in the Irish Cup semi-final.

Aaron Donnelly, Joe Thomson and Paul O'Neill all returned for the Invermen with Graham Kelly, Mark Randall and Andy Ryan dropping out.

There was only one change for the Glens following their 5-1 thumping of Portadown with Conor McMenamin coming in for Niall McGinn.

It was the hosts who had the first opening of the game after Thomson had been brought down on the corner of the box with four minutes on the clock.

Tomas Cosgrove clipped a clever ball across the face of goal, but the onrushing Glynn blazed over from eight yards.

The hosts were well on top as Cosgrove had a shot blocked by Rhys Marshall on the line after a well-worked corner routine.

The pressure finally told on the quarter hour as Larne deservedly broke the deadlock.

It came from another Cosgrove delivery, it picked out O'Neill on the penalty spot, who laid the ball back for Glynn to stroke into the far corner.

Within five minutes they had doubled their lead to leave the Glens shellshocked.

Glynn picked out Bonis in the area, the ball sat up nicely for him allowing him to turn and sweep the ball into the roof of the net.

Glentoran finally found some rhythm but they were struggling to find a way through the Larne rearguard.

McGinn and Junior were thrown on by Rodney McAree at the break as the Glens changed their forward line in a bid to get back into the game.

It was the hosts who were still asking all the questions though as Fuad Sule flashed a snapshot wide after a corner was only half cleared.

They spurned a great opportunity to seal the points on 53 minutes as Leroy Millar raced clear down the left, but his cutback had too much on it and flew past Bonis and O'Neill in front of goal.

Rohan Ferguson then produced a superb block to keep the ball out after McGinn's free kick was deflected towards his own goal by Glynn before the hour mark.

The keeper then watched on as Shay McCartan fizzed a free kick past the upright as we moved into the final quarter of an hour.

Bonis could have eased any nerves in the home support with eight minutes to go as Cosgrove picked him out in front of goal, but he screwed his shot wide of the target.

It didn't matter in the end though as Tiernan Lynch's men secured the win to extend their lead at the top as Linfield dropped points at home to Crusaders.

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