Ballinamallard Utd 2 Dungannon Swifts 2

Ballinamallard moved within one point of Carrick Rangers at the bottom of the Premiership table today as they played out a 2-2 draw against Dungannon Swifts.

And it sets up a crucial encounter against Carrick this Tuesday night with the Mallards having the opportunity to get themselves off the bottom of the table for the first time this season.

Harry McConkey's charges rode their luck at times in the second half as keeper Richard Brush pulled off two good saves, having been at fault for Swifts first goal in the first half, while the visitors also hit the bar twice.

For McConkey though the key was simply getting another point on the board and he was delighted with the battling qualities his side displayed.

“I will take the draw. I'm not really sure it was the right result but I don't really care about the right result. There is no question we had some tired bodies out there but to get back into the game when we were 2-1 down, it shows great resilience,” he commented.

Ballinamallard started the game on the front foot with striker Stephen O'Flynn causing problems for the Swifts defence throughout the opening period.

And with seven minutes gone O'Flynn put the home side ahead as he headed home a pinpoint cross from McGinty.

O'Flynn was then then denied by the woodwork as he got on the end of another McGinty cross but six minutes before half time Swifts levelled from an uncharacteristic mistake by Brush.

He misjudged a ball forward by Seanan Clucas and when it bounced over him Alan Teggart was on hand to tuck into the empty net.

Brush though made amends with a couple of terrific saves in the second half to deny Clucas and Ryan Harpur.

Swifts though looked threatening throughout the half and they took the lead when Daniel Hughes finished at the second attempt while former Mallards Ryan Mayse then hit the woodwork as Swifts looked like putting the game to bed.

There is a new resilience though about this Ballinamallard team and they responded in the 67th minute to level things.

McGinty was again the provider as he fed Curran on the right and the Mallards top scorer thundered a drive in off the underside of the crossbar for 2-2.

The Swifts were oncve more denied by the woodwork with Chris Heagrty's header cannoning off the crossbar while Hughes had a great chance to seal the win at the death for the visitors but he blazed over as it finished 2-2.