EFL Premier League: Larne and Linfield draw as Glens thrash Reds

After a quiet opening at Solitude, the Glens came close to breaking the deadlock after Ryan let Cooney fly from 25 yards, but his diving-and-turning effort was pushed to safety by a Lewis Reid alert.

Declan Devine’s men continued to threaten from set-pieces and went close when MJ Camson Kamara met Danny Amos’ corner kick, but they failed to hit the target.

That pressure should have been on display minutes later when Pat Hoban outmaneuvered Shaun Leppard and raced past Lewis Reid to beat, but the Cliftonville goalkeeper stood tall and denied the former Derry City striker.

After half-time, the visitors kept their momentum going as Ross Clarke cut in from the right to exchange passes with Aaron McEniff before seeing his right-footed shot from 20 yards go just behind Reid.

The breakthrough arrived just after the hour mark when Pat Hoban calmly converted from the penalty spot after Joe Toole’s high challenge on Aaron McEniff had prompted Tim Marshall to point to the penalty spot.

The visitors doubled their advantage midway through the second half when MJ Kamson Kamara converted a corner kick taken by Ryan Cooney for substitute Stewart, who headed home from close range.

The points were effectively secured five minutes later when Stewart won the ball from McEneff without any pressure and curled a shot into the far bottom corner.

Deep into stoppage time, Hoban ended a memorable night for Declan Devine’s men after he was fouled by a Cliftonville defender and scored his 19th league goal of the season.