Glens continue 100% start to go two clear at top

Glentoran continued their 100% start to the season by claiming a 2-0 win over Glenavon at the Oval to move two points clear at the top of the Irish Premiership table.

Goals from Jordan Stewart and Jordan Jenkins in either half made it three wins in a row for Declan Devine's side.

Coleraine sit second, two points adrift of the Glens, as they maintained their unbeaten record this term with a 2-0 home win over Dungannon Swifts.

Ballymena United secured their second consecutive victory to start the campaign by defeating Portadown 2-0 at Shamrock Park.

Cliftonville drew 1-1 with Larne at Solitude, Tiarnan O'Connor opening the scoring and Joe Gormley equalising, before both sides had one player sent-off.

Crusaders beat nine-man Bangor 3-1 at Clandeboye, thanks in no small measure to two penalty saves by visiting goalkeeper Musa Dibaga.

At the Oval, the game was just four minutes old Ryan Cooney, who scored the winner against Bangor at the weekend, burst into the Glenavon box and unleashed an effort but it was straight into the arms of Jacob Carney in goal.

Twelve minutes later, Glenavon had their best chance of the half. Paul McGovern centred to Stephen Mallon in space, but instead of shooting he slid the ball to Jack Malone, whose shot was blocked.

The breakthrough arrived for Glentoran just after the half-hour mark. After a solid challenge from Josh Kelly in midfield to win back possession, Stewart spread the ball left for Ciaran Coll, who passed along the left flank to Liam Burt, who returned the ball to the diminutive Stewart and he got a shot away.

Carney saved superbly but Stewart was in the right place to head the rebound into the net.

On 62 minutes Glentoran should have doubled their advantage when Danny Amos delivered a low fizzing cross from the left, but Jordan Jenkins' flicked effort at the near post went just the wrong side of the upright.

Ten minutes later goalkeeper Carney made three tremendous stops to keep Glenavon in the tie. Jenkins, Charlie Lindsay and Stewart all shot within the box, but Carney was equal to all to keep the score at 1-0.

The game was finally put to bed on 86 minutes when Lindsay played a succulent through ball, right onto the toe of Jenkins who strode into the area before tucking the ball beyond Carney in goal.

Bottom-of-the-table Dungannon Swifts started brightly and Tomas Galvin fired a low shot narrowly past Aidan Harris' goal after a quarter of an hour.

Coleraine responded positively and opened the scoring 10 minutes later through Declan McManus with his first goal of the season.

Joel Cooper flighted a cross towards the back post where the Scottish striker headed the ball back across goal and keeper Alex Henderson into the bottom corner of the net.

Jamie Glackin doubled the home side's advantage just after the hour with an acrobatic overhead kick from six yards after the visitors had failed to clear a Cooper corner.

Will Patching passed up a number of good chances immediately after the restart before Aidan Harris proved his worth at the other end, rushing out of his goal to deny Tomas Galvin.

And the Coleraine keeper was again called into action to deny second half sub Brandon Bermingham from distance as Rodney McAree's side produced a better second half display.

But Coleraine held on for the win and a third successive clean sheet, leaving Swifts rooted to the foot of the table without a point.