Dean Curry's 96th minute equaliser hands Dungannon Swifts dramatic draw against reigning Premiership champions Larne

The hosts sparked into life in the 29th minute when Levi Ives, making his Inver Park debut following a summer move from Cliftonville, whipped in a pinpoint cross from the left which captain Tomas Cosgrove guided perfectly into the bottom corner to mark a first goal since December.

They weren’t in front for long though as Dungannon – who had made a bright start without finding the clinical final pass or moment of quality to hurt their opponents – were handed a route back into the contest when Joseph Moore latched onto Aaron Donnelly’s poor touch and coolly finished past Rohan Ferguson in the 35th minute.

Larne flew out of the second-half traps with Cosgrove turning provider by setting the ball on a plate for Dylan Sloan to slam home his maiden top-flight league goal after his captain had weaved brilliantly into the box shortly after the restart.

While producing far from a trademark showing for large periods, the Inver Reds turned on the style as Ryan netted what will likely be the first of many league goals this season when Bonis squared to him and the former Portadown man got his name on the scoresheet moments later with a superb lob over Declan Dunne from 35 yards as Dungannon chased a way back into the contest.

Swifts substitute Ben Gallagher produced a moment of magic in the 85th minute as his left-footed thunderbolt arrowed into Ferguson’s top corner.

That looked like only a consolation but Dungannon’s hopes were further buoyed four minutes later as Tomas Galvin pounced on a Ferguson mistake to chip in an unlikely third and Curry completed the turnaround from a 96th-minute corner.

Leroy Millar was named in the starting 11 after recovering from a knock which kept him out of the Europa Conference League tie against FC Ballkani while Niall Owens, Chris Hegarty, Keelan Dillon and Ethan Devine were handed competitive Dungannon debuts by the returning Rodney McAree.

After making an uncharacteristically slow start, Cosgrove’s opener helped Larne begin to play with more freedom and Tiernan Lynch’s side were almost two ahead only for consecutive shots from Andy Ryan and Sloan blocked by a desperate Dungannon defence.

Cosgrove almost doubled his tally and Larne’s advantage at 2-1 after another darting run off the right wing but his curling shot sailed just wide of Dunne’s post before the Swifts stopper denied Millar from an Ives corner.

LARNE: Ferguson, Want, Donnelly, Farquhar, Bonis (O'Neill, 82), Ives, Thomson, Millar (Westendorf, 82), Cosgrove, Sloan (Gordon, 66), Ryan (Smith, 82).

Subs (not used): Dowling, Kearns, Glynn.

DUNGANNON SWIFTS: Dunne, McGee, Curry, Marron (Whiteside, 77), Hegarty, Owens (J Scott, 66), Devine (Gallagher, 66), Dillon (Knowles, 77), S Scott (Galvin, 82), Moore, McGinty.

Subs (not used): Ritchie, Glenny.