BANN’S LOWRY DRIVER

A STEPHEN LOWRY brace fuelled the Coleraine bandwagon as the league leaders made it 14 games unbeaten with a 2-0 win at Dungannon Swifts.

Lowry (above) fired home the opener in the 28th minute and added a second from close-range on the hour mark to wrap up three points at Stangmore Park.

Victory keeps the Bannsiders, who have kept clean sheets in their last four league outings, a point clear of Cliftonville at the summit.

Praising Lowry’s contribution from midfield, boss Oran Kearney said: “Stevie has undoubted quality all over the pitch and it was great to see him weigh in with two big goals.

“We’ve been trying to get him higher up the pitch and more involved in that type of play which he enjoys.”

Elsewhere, Lee Lynch bagged a brace and Jeff

Hughes was on target from the penalty spot as

Larne eased to a comfortable

3-0 win over an injury-hit

Ballymena

United.

The Sky Blues, without a raft of key senior players, suffered a further blow when striker Cathair Friel suffered a suspected broken collar bone in the 14th minute.

Glentoran stayed in touch with the title race thanks to a thumping 4-0 win over struggling Warrenpoint Town at Milltown.

All four goals - from Gavin Peers, Davy Mcdaid and a Hervoje Plum double - came in the opening period. RESULTS: Ballymena United 0 Larne 3; Crusaders 1 Institute 1; Dungannon Swifts 0 Coleraine 2; Glenavon 1 Cliftonville 2; Linfield 2 Carrick Rangers 0; Warrenpoint Town 0 Glentoran 4.