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Swifts and Saints draw ends perfect start

Monday 19th March 2007, 10:20 pm

Keith Fahey, levelled in the second half for St. Pats.

Photo by Tom Carey.

Dungannon Swifts halted Saint Patrick's Athletic's perfect start to the season but the Saints twice came from behind to draw tonight's Setanta Sports Cup game at Stangmore Park.

Mark McAllister drilled home a low shot via the near post after great build-up play from Everaldo and Rodney McAree to give Swifts a fourth minute lead.

The Saints equalised in the snow when Alan Kirby fired home his fourth goal of the competition as the Dublin side took full advantage of McAree giving the ball away in his own half. Kirby combined with Michael Foley and Mark Rooney before slotting home the equaliser.

Undeterred by the leveller, Dungannon again pushed forward and McAllister had a shot saved by Barry Ryan after McAree had blazed over from a free kick.

Joseph Ndo picked up a booking after a body check on Gary Fitzpatrick and the Pats man was at least slightly fortunate to escape any further action following his reaction afterwards.

Rooney dragged a shot well wide across the face of goal on the half hour and Dungannon took the lead on 34 minutes. Goalkeeper Dwayne Nelson caught a poor Keith Fahey free kick letting Swifts break quickly. David Scullion played the ball in and a deft flicked finish from Everaldo took the ball over Ryan to make it 2-1.

Ndo almost dragged the score level within moments but after jinking inside, Nelson flicked a dipping shot over with his fingertips.

Anthony Murphy hit an upright and Michael Foley had a shot cleared off the line as the visitors looked to level after a chaotic corner kick in the dying moments of the first period.

Having been forced to start without the injured Gary O'Neill, St. Pats boss John McDonnell made a couple of changes at the break bringing in Mark Quigley and Sean O'Connor as he chased an equaliser.

It took less than four minutes for the game to level up again. Again, Dungannon were wasteful with the ball as Scullion lost possession cheaply as they attempted to clear from a corner kick. Fahey lashed home from range off the underside of the crossbar for a stunning second equaliser.

Ndo dragged another shot wide but chances were arriving less often. Another good Dungannon move saw McAllister tee-up Everaldo at the near post but he was blocked out at the near post as the game headed into the final fifteen minutes.

St. Pats could have snatched the win in the closing ten as Murphy saw his shot well saved by Nelson after a good move. The second half had seen a number of bookings although a couple seemed harsh while Darragh Maguire appeared fortunate to avoid one himself.

There was almost late drama as first Sean O'Connor broke against an outnumbered Dungannon defence. However, he dawdled allowing Swifts to break back down the other way forcing Colm Foley to flick away a dangerous cross.

The result moves St. Pats onto seven points from three games, with Dungannon on three points from three games.

Dungannon Swifts : Nelson, Wray, Montgomery, McMinn, Gallagher, Scullion, R McAree (Baron 77), McCluskey, Everaldo, Fitzpatrick, McAllister.
Saint Patrick's Athletic : Ryan, S Quigley (C Foley 87), Frost, Brennan, Maguire, M Foley (O'Connor 46), Kirby, Fahey, Ndo, Murphy, Rooney (M Quigley 46).