Saturday's Irish Premiership action (28/01/17)

• Glentoran 0 - 1 Ballinamallard United

Ballinamallard United picked up three valuable points with a 1-0 victory over Glentoran at the Oval on Saturday.

The only goal of the game came in the 18th minute, when Ryan Mayse turned in David Elliot's low cross into the area.

The win means that the Mallards move level on points with ninth-placed Ards and are now 12 points clear of the relegation places.

Glentoran meanwhile remain in eighth place with just two wins from their last nine games.

• Cliftonville 3 - 0 Portadown

Cliftonville remain third in the Irish Premiership table following a 3-0 win over bottom side Portadown at Solitude.

All of the goals came in the first half, with Jude Winchester opening the scoring with a scruffy effort from six yards in the 12th minute.

Jay Donnelly added a second when he turned in from close range in the 35th minute.

Then Chris Curran's shot from distance on the stroke of half time somehow squirmed past Ports goalkeeper Chris McGaughey at his near post.

Cliftonville squandered multiple chances after the break as Portadown rarely threatened, with the win keeping Gerard Lyttle's side six points ahead of fourth-placed Coleraine.

• Coleraine 3 - 1 Ards
  

Coleraine remain fourth in the Irish Premiership table following a 3-1 win over Ards at the Coleraine Showgrounds.

The hosts opened the scoring after eight minutes thanks to a stunning strike from Ian Parkhall, who curled the ball home from outside the area following good work from Darren McAuley.

Jamie McGonigle made it 2-0 soon after with a neat low finish, but Michael Ruddy pulled one back for the visitors from the penalty spot on the half hour.

Both teams could have scored further goals, but James McLaughlin had the final say with a close-range finish in the 84th minute to wrap up the win for the Bannsiders.

• Ballymena United 3 - 1 Carrick Rangers
  

Ballymena United returned to winning ways with a 3-1 victory over Carrick Rangers at the Ballymena Showgrounds.

Cahair Freil opened the scoring for the Braidmen in the ninth minute when he turned in Joe McKinney’s dangerous low cross.

However, Carrick restored parity 10 minutes into the second half when former Ballymena player Paddy McNally headed home.

The sides remained level until Freil scored his second of the afternoon with a sweetly-struck half volley in the 89th minute to bring his tally for the season to 19.

Then Johnny McMurray forced the ball home in injury time to seal the win.

Victory for David Jeffrey’s side means that they remain in fifth place and a point behind rivals Coleraine in the table, while Carrick remain second from bottom.