Glentoran's Keith Gillespie battles with Dungannon's Alain Emerson

Glentoran wasted the opportunity to go level on points with Carling Premiership leaders Linfield as they could only draw at home to Dungannon.

Dungannon were full value for their point and could have taken all three.

Shane Coney, Timmy Adamson and Mark McClean all had first-half chances while Swifts keeper Alvin Rouse denied Gary Hamilton at the other end.

Rouse tipped a Jonny Black effort on to the woodwork while both teams had late efforts cleared off the line.

Dungannon's Andrew Ferguson diverted a Calvin Mooney cross past Elliott Morris in the 85th minute but Daryl Fordyce hooked the ball to safety.

Glentoran then produced a late flurry with Terry Fitzpatrick clearing off the line after Dean Fitzgerald had connected with a Keith Gillespie cross.

In the final seconds, Paul Leeman headed straight at Rouse after Fitzgerald had nodded back a Black cross.

But a goal at that stage would have been an injustice on the Swifts.

Timmy Adamson should have have put the visitors ahead on the hour but he was woefully off-target after being presented with a free header with only Morris to beat.

Dungannon largely bossed the opening 45 minutes with Morris having to move very smartly to block a Coney shot after the Swifts man had broken clear of the Glens defence.

As was the case after half-time, Adamson also had a headed chance in the opening period when he nodded Neil McCafferty's cross a foot over the bar.

Mark McClean then headed another Dungannon chance wide after Ryan McIlmoyle's cross.

The Glens went close to grabbing an undeserved lead on 38 minutes when Hamilton headed a Sean Ward towards goal only for Rouse to make a superb reaction save.

The Barbadian completed the stop by doing enough to unsettle Richard Clarke as the former Newry man attempt to hit the follow-up to the net.

The result means Glentoran stay second, two points behind the Blues, while Dungannon move above Coleraine into fourth place in the table.

E-mail this to a friend

Printable version