O’Flynn at the double

The Waterside men had Stephen O’Flynn to thank for the share of the spoils, as the Cork man started where he left off last season.

O’Flynn who gave Stute the lead in the first half then popped up in stoppage time to turn home Jamie McIntytre’s low teasing cross.

The visitors who had a few early scares went close to taking the lead on 16 minutes but Darren McCauley’s 20 yard strike was saved by Swifts goalkeeper Andy Coleman.

Institute broke the deadlock in outstanding fashion on 24 minutes when last season’s talisman Stephen O’Flynn made no mistake firing low past a full stretched Coleman from 25 yards.

Michael Doherty came to his side’s rescue on 40 minutes when he instinctively kept out Jamie Glackin’s close range effort, after Stute failed to clear their lines properly.

Swifts started the second half lively and went close on 52 minutes but Josh Barton’s powerful long range strike was straight at Doherty.

Darren Murphy’s side had a good chance on 60 minutes but Gary Liggett’s low drive from the left hand side of the box flashed just wide.

Swifts levelled things on 81 minutes after some poor defending by substitute Colm McLaughlin saw Gary Liggett turn the ball home from close range.

Incredibly the home side thought they had won the game on 85 minutes after Paddy McLaughlin was adjuged to have fouled substitute Abiola Sanusi inside the box and Ryan Harpur made no mistake with the resulting penalty.

But then deep into stoppage time O’Flynn was in the right place at the right time turning home subsitute McIntyre’s low centre in the 93rd minute.

Dungannon Swifts: Coleman, Burns, Grieve, McCaffrey, Armstrong, Fitzpatrick, Lowe, Barton, Harpur, Liggett, Glackin. Subs: Mitchell for Lowe (65); Sanusi for Barton (68); Tomilty for McCaffrey (78).

Institute: Doherty, P McLaughlin, Scoltock, Crown; Young, McManus, Ballard, McKeever; McBride, O’Flynn, McCauley. Subs: McIntyre for McBride (77); C McLaughlin for McKeever (80); Hume for McCauley (90).

Referee: Mr Ian McNabb (Newtownabbey).