Institute denied win by late Michael Carville strike

Dungannon Swifts 2, Institute 2
Winger Cormac Burke marked his first start for Institute with a first half brace.Winger Cormac Burke marked his first start for Institute with a first half brace.
Winger Cormac Burke marked his first start for Institute with a first half brace.

Not for the first time this season, Institute will feel they should have won all three points, this time a late Michael Carville strike denied them the win at Dungannon Swifts.

Sean Connor's side had chances to increase their advantage when leading 2-1, then were hit a by a sucker punch in the closing stages, as ten men Swifts managed to nick a point.

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Both sides went into this game looking for a positive result and the share of the spoils will suit the Tyrone men, who remain five points ahead of 'Stute at the bottom of the Danske Bank Premiership.

The home side made two changes to their team which lost at Ballymena United with goalkeeper Stuart Addis and skipper Seanan Clucas both starting.

As for 'Stute they made four alterations to their starting line-up, which lost heavily at home to Glenavon last weekend.

In came defensive pair Conor Tourish and Dean Curry, midfielder Niall Grace and Cormac Burke all started.

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The visitors should have taken a third minute lead as Shaun Leppard's right wing cross was flicked on cleverly by Gareth Brown at the near post, straight into Grace's path, but the midfielder volleyed over from close range with the goal at his mercy.

'Stute deservedly took the lead on seven minutes as Burke, marked his return to Stangmore Park with goal.

The midfielder's initial left wing corner was punched clear by Swifts keeper Stuart Addis, Grace passed the loose ball back out Burke, who cut inside before calmly curling the ball into Addis' bottom left hand corner.

Moments later a goalkeeping error by Rory Brown nearly gifted the home side an equaliser, as he came rushing out of the penalty error but lost the ball to Ben Gallagher, but fortunately for the 'Stute keeper, the striker's chip to the guarded net sailed wide.

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Swifts did level things on 10 minutes in impressive style, as Clucas 'won' a free-kick some 25 yards from goal, after falling under Shane McNamee's challenge. Douglas Wilson's resulting strike gave Rory Brown no chance and sailed into the keeper's top right hand corner.

Sean Connor's men missed a great chance to regain the lead on 22 minutes when following a quick counter attack, left-back Colm McLaughlin raced in behind the Swifts defence, but his attempted dink was well saved by the out-rushing Addis.

Institute went back in front on 32 minutes as that man Burke saw his curling free-kick from the left catch out Addis and Evan Tweed was on hand to make sure on the line, firing home into the net.

Gallagher had a half chance to level things on 50 minutes, but the young striker's snap-shot from the edge of the box, whistled wide.

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Swifts suffered an injury set-back on 56 minutes as Addis seemed to pull his groin and had to be replaced by young keeper Conor Byrne.

The woodwork and some last ditch defending denied Institute scoring a third goal minutes later as Callum Byers nearly headed into his own net, but the ball came back off the crossbar and Leppard's follow-up effort was blocked by Kris Lowe.

Swifts were reduced to ten men on 80 minutes after Douglas Wilson was shown a straight red card after tangling with 'Stute substitute Brendan McLaughlin.

The ten men levelled things completely against the run of play as Byrne's long punt down field wasn't dealt with by Conor Tourish, the impressive Ben Gallagher found Michael Carville on the edge of the box and the ex-Crusaders man's 20 yard snap-shot, caught out Rory Brown and nestled in the keeper's bottom right hand corner.

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Dungannon Swifts: Addis (Byrne 56), Byers, Redman (Devlin 83), Wilson, Clucas, Teggart, Patton (Waide 60), Lowe, Carvill, Gallagher, Fitzpatrick.

Institute: R Brown, Leppard, Tourish, D Curry, C McLaughlin; McNamee, McCauley, Grace, Tweed; G Brown, Burke (B McLaughlin 78).

Referee: Tony Clarke (Newtownabbey).

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