Blues edge closer to title as Glens held by Carrick
Linfield edged closer to the Irish Premiership title with a 2-0 victory against Glenavon at Windsor Park.
Joel Cooper scored twice for the Blues, who moved 20 points clear after Glentoran were held to a 0-0 draw by Carrick Rangers at Taylors Avenue.
Cliftonville's league struggles continued as they fell to a 1-0 defeat against Ballymena United, who still remain in the hunt for a top six place.
Crusaders' top six hopes were dealt a blow as they drew 1-1 against bottom of the table Loughgall at Seaview.
Dungannon Swifts remain in the race for second place, but they were pegged back by Portadown as they drew 1-1 in the late kick-off.
In the other late game, Larne fought back to draw 1-1 with Coleraine at Inver Park.
Cooper at the double for Blues
The first half at Windsor Park was far from a classic, with neither side able to create a clear-cut chance.
David Toure's strike just before half-time was easily dealt with by David Walsh in the Linfield goal in what was probably the best opportunity of the half.
Seven minutes into the second half, David Healy's side went in front through the Coleraine-bound Cooper.
The ball fell kindly for Cooper after an unfortunate bounce off Len O'Sullivan, with Linfield's number nine making no mistake from close range.
The Blues doubled their lead and sealed all three points in the 83rd minute as referee Evan Boyce pointed to the spot as he deemed Harry Murphy to have pushed a Linfield player to ground in the box, with Cooper stepping up and scoring the penalty.
If Larne beat Glentoran at the Oval on Tuesday night, Linfield could have the Gibson Cup officially won before kicking another ball.
If not, then a Blues win at Dungannon on Monday 24 March will seal their 57th league title.
Glens frustrated by Carrick
With just three minutes on the clock, Carrick thought they had taken an early lead when Ethan Boyle's close-range strike squirmed under Daniel Gyollai, but the strike was ruled out for offside.
Six minutes later it was Glentoran who almost grabbed the lead. Ciaran Coll's cross from the left was met by the head of David Fisher with his effort striking the woodwork.
On 20 minutes, Fisher should have given the Glens the lead after capitalising on some poor distribution by Jack McIntyre in the Carrick goal to race through, but he hit the post when scoring seemed easier.
Despite being under the cosh for much of the half, Carrick had a shout for a penalty moments before the break when the ball ricocheted off Coll's arm in the box, but referee Louise Thompson pointed for a corner.
The second half was a scrappy affair with the best chances coming in the 78th minute for Carrick.
First, Nedas Maciulaitis clipped the ball across goal where Boyle charged in with a diving header which Glens' captain Marcus Kane cleared off the line.
Then seconds later, Maciulaitis swivelled and shot from close range, forcing a tremendous reaction save from Gyollai in goal.
In the dying minutes Kane fired in a volley from the left-hand corner of the box, but it was well saved by McIntyre.
Sky Blues keep top six hopes alive
Ballymena still have slim chance of making the top six after a hard-fought win at the Showgrounds, their third of the season against the Reds.
The Sky Blues came close in the early stages when Aaron Jarvis burst forward from midfield and unleashed a 25-yard drive which beat goalkeeper Lewis Ridd but went inches wide of the post.
Reds stopper Ridd was the busier of the two keepers but was able to deal comfortably with efforts from Success Edogun and Kian Corbally.
Cliftonville, who have not won away in the league since November, responded after the break with United keeper Sean O'Neill turning Alex Parsons' fiercely struck shot behind at the near post.
The Reds gradually started to gain in confidence with Axel Piesold shooting wide from Conor Pepper's cross when well placed to score.
It was Ballymena who broke the deadlock with 11 minutes left however, as Ben Kennedy intercepted a Micheal Glynn pass and fed Corbally, who advanced a few steps before firing a left-footed shot beyond Ridd.
Crues held by battling Villagers
The hosts had a good chance to take the lead when Jordan Forsythe headed wide from Ross Clarke's delivery.
Jordan Gibson then made a crucial clearance off the line to divert Harry Franklin's goal-bound strike into the path of stopper Nathan Gartside.
After the restart, Adam Towe's strike from 25-yards was narrowly off target before Forsythe's effort from range flew onto the roof of the net.
The Crues continued to dominate and were denied by the woodwork when Franklin's header from a Clarke cross bounced off the top of the crossbar.
Crusaders broke the deadlock on 70 minutes when Clarke's free-kick deflected off the Loughgall wall and fell to Franklin, who squared to Jordan Stewart, and he fired home with his first touch after coming on.
The away side levelled four minutes from time with Robbie Mahon taking advantage of a mistake in the Crusaders defence and picking out the unmarked Benji Magee, who found the bottom left corner.
With seconds to go, substitute Stewart weaved his way around multiple Loughgall players, including stopper Gartside, but he could only find the side netting from a tight angle.
Honours even at Inver
Substitute Matthew Shevlin provided the spark Coleraine craved in the 76th minute, as he raced clear after Shaun Want's misjudged header from Rory Brown's clearance before the striker coolly rounded Rohan Ferguson and slotted home.
The Bannsiders' celebrations were cut short just six minutes later when Aaron Donnelly cleverly redirected Mark Randall's free-kick to the back post, where Andy Ryan pounced, prodding home from close range.
Just 30 seconds into the game Jamie Glackin somehow rattled the crossbar from Kyle Spence's pinpoint delivery with the goal gaping.
The champions responded swiftly as Donnelly's teasing cross found Paul O'Neill unmarked, but the striker glanced his header agonisingly wide when well-positioned.
The Inver Reds thought they'd seized the advantage after 20 minutes when Ryan slotted home following O'Neill's cutback, only for the assistant's flag to curtail their celebrations, with O'Neill adjudged to have strayed offside.
At the other end, Dean Shiels' men threatened through Connor Murray and Declan McManus, though neither could find the target before the interval.
Clear-cut chances remained at a premium after the break until the late drama unfolded.
McManus, Dylan Boyle and Ryan all squandered opportunities after the goals, but neither side could land the decisive blow.
Ports and Swifts draw
Chances were at a premium at Shamrock Park in an untidy first half littered with fouls.
John McGovern headed over from a James Knowles free-kick in the opening exchanges for the visitors before James Teelan dragged his shot wide of Declan Dunne's post at the other end minutes later.
The best chance of the half, and the only save of note, came in added time when Aaron McCarey raced off his line to palm away McGovern's effort after the Dungannon Swifts' striker skipped clear of the home defence.
The Ports' stopper was off his line again minutes after the restart to close down the dangerous McGovern, whose clever attempted finish with the outside of his right foot went just the wrong side of the post after being played through by Kealan Dillon.
The breakthrough came just after the hour when Andy Mitchell showed a striker's instinct to follow up and blast home from close range after McCarey had initially parried Dillon's effort.
The Ports pushed for an equaliser and their efforts were rewarded with just over 10 minutes remaining when Steven McCullough's heavily deflected free-kick from the edge of the penalty area flew past a helpless Dunne in the away goal.
The result means it's as you were between two clubs who have one game remaining to seal their place in the top six come the split.
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