IRISH LEAGUE: Currie relieved after Ards earn late draw

Ards boss Niall Currie was a relieved man on Saturday evening, after super sub Carl McComb rescued a point against Dungannon Swifts with a 91st minute equaliser.
Dungannons Andrew Mitchell dinks a first time finish past Ards keeper Aaron Hogg. Pic: PresseyeDungannons Andrew Mitchell dinks a first time finish past Ards keeper Aaron Hogg. Pic: Presseye
Dungannons Andrew Mitchell dinks a first time finish past Ards keeper Aaron Hogg. Pic: Presseye

Dungannon led three times, only for Ards to equalise on three separate occasions, in a hectic second half at the Bangor Fuels Arena.

Currie said: “I thought we had shot ourselves in the foot.

“I was furious with the way we managed the game. We got ourselves level at 2-2, but we failed to control the game, and we conceded another soft goal.

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“But you have to give the players credit for coming back for a third time. It would have been easy to give up at 3-2.

“Dungannon are a great side and play some good stuff, so I’m not downbeat about a draw. I think if you look back at the game, there wasn’t much between the two teams. A draw was probably a fair result.”

Dungannon took the lead in the 38th minute when Peter McMahon sent a ball across the front of goal, that was turned home by Andrew Mitchell.

Referee Arnie Hunter awarded Ards a penalty in the 48th minute when Ryan Harpur clipped Johnny Taylor inside the box. Michael Ruddy made no mistake from the spot.

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Swifts regained the lead in the 55th minute. Seanan Clucas headed the ball against bar, before Cormac Burke turned the rebound into an empty net.

Ards equalised again in the 73rd minute when David McAllister latched onto a through ball before beating Andy Coleman at his near post.

Burke scored what he believed was the winner in the 87th minute, slotting past Aaron Hogg Then Ards equalised for a third time in the 91st minute when McComb tapped in from six-yards.

Currie said; “It was strange because at half-time I criticised our attack for not giving us enough. Then, in the second half we scored three.”

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