Ballymena United manager Jim Ervin hailed the role of captain Sean O’Neill with his “leadership qualities” shining through during their 2-2 Boxing Day derby draw against Coleraine but admitted he wasn’t happy with just a point after watching the Sky Blues go two-up thanks to an Ethan Devine brace.

Missing influential duo Josh Carson and Ben Kennedy through suspension, Devine stepped in superbly and scored twice before half-time to give the visitors a healthy advantage heading into the break.

However, Dean Shiels’ men struck back through Cameron Stewart before Matthew Shevlin netted his 14th Premiership goal of the season from the penalty spot after Ballymena had been penalised for handball.

Veteran goalkeeper O’Neill signed a new one-year contract extension last week, officially becoming club captain in the process, and the 36-year-old was called into action on a number of occasions, ultimately helping his side depart with a valuable point.

placeholder image — Ballymena United manager Jim Ervin. (Photo by Desmond Loughery/Pacemaker Press)

"No, I'm not happy with a point to put it short,” Ervin told the club’s media channel. “I'm disappointed.

"Being 2-0 up in the first half we knew they were going to come at us second half and come at us 100 miles per hour. We did well for the first seven or eight minutes and we were trying to stay in the game and keep the lead going.

"I think we conceded 10 minutes in and then the penalty decision changes the game. We're standing a bit further away but the fourth official is telling me on the sideline it doesn't look like a penalty to him and his arms are down by his side.

"It has went against us, they've scored the penalty for 2-2 and it puts them in the ascendancy. They'd a couple more chances and piled the pressure on after that but the boys stood strong.

"I thought Sean was fantastic and made some big saves and his leadership qualities shone through in the end. On another occasion we probably could have lost the game so credit to the boys for digging in and seeing the game through.

"We've scored two away and not got all three points but it's four in the last two and we have to take the positives and move on to Monday."

Alongside O’Neill, former Northern Ireland international Danny Lafferty has also signed a one-year contract extension while defender Kym Nelson penned a two-year deal to keep him at the Ballymena Showgrounds.

"They've been three big players for us this season and we didn't want to let their contracts run down any longer than what they had done so I was pleased to get Danny and Sean another year and Kym on a two-year,” added Ervin. “It's positive news and a boost.

"Sean's performances have been really good."

Calvin McCurry, who scored his first goal of the season in last weekend’s victory over Loughgall, was forced off in the closing stages through injury but Ervin admits it’s too early to know the extent of the issue.

"It's too early for us to know anything,” he said. “He's on the treatment table there at the minute being assessed by the physio so we won't know the full extent of it until Friday or Saturday.

"It wasn't good for him and it looked a nasty one but we won't know the full extent of it yet."