Glentoran shone under Friday night lights, as they dispatched of a disappointing Loughgall.
Four first-half goals were bookended by the inspired Jay Donnelly, as Junior Ogedi-Uzokwe and Daire O'Connor also hit the target.
David Fisher and Patrick McClean added further goals after the break on a sorry night for the travelling team.
In Newry, the home side made hard work for themselves, as Stephen Moan was sent off inside ten minutes. Although Coleraine looked set to seize the momentum, it was City who took the initiative, but they eventually fell behind against the run of play.
After hitting the woodwork twice, Conor McKendry's strike three minutes into first-half added time was a bitter pill to swallow. He doubled his tally in the 56th minute, putting in a star performance in bagging his side three points.
Jim Magilton was visibly frustrated with Cliftonville's first half display, with Conor McCloskey perhaps unfortunate not to have been awarded a Glenavon penalty that would have added to Magilton's woes.
But whatever the manager said at the half-time break worked wonders, as Rory Hale opened the scoring just a minute after the interval. That was to prove the sole contribution to the scoresheet, as the visitors claimed the win.
Linfield were equally unimpressive in the early stages against Carrick Rangers, and a valid penalty call waved away did little to appease the travelling support.
Their luck soon changed, however, as Kurtis Forsythe turned into his own net just after the hour mark. Kyle McClean doubled the advantage soon afterwards, as a long throw caused all sorts of problems for Rangers.
An Emmett McGuckin strike threatened a comeback, but it proved to be only a consolation.
Elsewhere, Dungannon Swifts dug in for an impressive point against high flyers Larne.
A 65th-minute second yellow for skipper Ethan McGee wasn't exactly what the doctor ordered, and former Larne man Thomas Maguire was sacrificed by manager Rodney McAree. That proved an inspired choice, as Swifts held on in a stalemate.
Irish Premiership Results
Carrick Rangers 1 - 2 Linfield
Crusaders - Ballymena
Dungannon Swifts 0 - 0 Larne
Glenavon 0 - 1 Cliftonville
Glentoran 6 - 0 Loughgall
Newry City 0 - 2 Coleraine
