Glentoran were denied a massive win at the top of the Irish Premiership as league leaders Larne scored an injury time equaliser at Inver Park.

It was an enthralling 90 minutes as first took on third with the home side awarded two spot kicks and the Glens having both Pat Hoban and Ryan Cooney sent off.

Paul O’Neill fired in from the spot on 21 minutes before a Hoban brace either side of half-time put the Glens in front.

The experienced striker was shown a red card on 74 minutes following an incident involving Andy Ryan.

Glentoran looked to have done enough to secure victory before a stoppage-time penalty was awarded for handball against MJ Kamson-Kamara, with Ryan scoring at the second attempt after Mills saved the initial effort. Cooney was later dismissed after the final whistle.

Declan Devine handed starting spots to Josh Daniels and Aaron McEneff, with the latter lining up against his brother Jordan on the opposite side.

After a cagey opening 10 minutes it was the visitors who carved out the first real opportunity as Jordan Stewart picked out Hoban in the box, but the striker glanced his header win of the target.

There was a contentious moment on 17 minutes as the hosts were awarded a penalty by referee Shane Andrews following a coming together between Andrew Mills and O’Neill.

The big ‘keeper looked to have got his knee to the ball, but picked up a yellow before having to pick the ball out of the net from O’Neill’s spot kick.

Glentoran were dominating possession after going a goal behind, but without really troubling Rohan Ferguson in the Larne goal.

But the home stopper was left helpless two minutes before the break as the Glens got back on level terms.

Marcus Kane surged forward before trying his luck from outside the box with his shot clipping off Hoban and wrong-footing Ferguson before finding the net.

Glentoran had Mills to thank for keeping the scores level a minute into the second half as the ‘keeper stood up to bat away an O’Neill effort after Tiarnan O’Connor had picked him out.

And it proved to be a huge moment in the game as just two minutes later Hoban fired past Ferguson from an excellent James Singleton cross.

Singleton went oh so close to adding a third for the Glens in the 69th minute as his shot clipped the post after Stewart had teed him up in the box.

The home side were appealing for another penalty a minute later claiming Ryan’s header struck Jarlath O’Rourke on the hand.

More drama was to come from the resulting corner as Hoban was shown a straight red following an altercation with Ryan on the edge of the Glentoran penalty area.

Jordan Jenkins could have wrapped the points up with nine minutes to go after Cameron Palmer played him in, but the forward fired straight at Ferguson.

There was to be late, late drama however as Larne were awarded another penalty in the third minute of stoppage time as Kamson-Kamara was adjudged to have handled a cross into the box.

To Glentoran’s disbelief referee Andrews pointed to the spot with Ryan firing in from the rebound after Mills had saved his initial spot kick.

The frustrating ending for the Glens was compounded after the final whistle as Cooney was shown a straight red.

Larne 2 – 2 Glentoran

Starting XI: Mills, Cooney, Kane (C) (O’Rourke), Thomson (Amos), Palmer, Hoban, Stewart, Kamara, Singleton, Daniels, McEneff (Jenkins)

Subs: Crellin, Connolly, Burt, Douglas