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Glentoran left Stangmore Park with a point
after their second goalless draw in a week. It was a game that saw the
Glens have plenty of possession, but lacking in the final third leading to
their second draw against Dungannon this season.
The game begun with high hopes for both
teams, Glentoran keeping their title hopes alive while Dungannon were hoping
to build on their impressive record against Irish League's top teams this
season.
Shane McCabe and David Scullion returned to
their former home at Stangmore Park an while Scullion escaped relatively
unscathed, McCabe became the recipient of several hard challenges. As
the game progressed it seemed that referee Brian Turkington had more to do
by the way of issuing yellow cards than he did for noting scorers.
A total of six players were booked
including Nixon and Fordyce for the Glens in what was a rough game on the
perfectly kept Stangmore Park playing surface.
The first talking point of the game arose
on 26 minutes as Michael Halliday managed a tight-angled cross/shot that
sailed across the front of goal, but it was after the ball was played that
Halliday was brought down by Swifts' keeper Dwayne Nelson sparking loud
calls for a penalty from the Glentoran traveling support.
Summing up the lack of goal-worthy
opportunities of the ay it took 29 minutes for the first shot on target,
when Daryl Fordyce struck only for Nelson to collect easily.
Terry Fitzpatrick and Shea Campbell had
opportunities for the Swifts while both fired wide, Campbell should have
done better with his shot from the edge of the penalty area.
On 55 minutes, Michael Halliday just missed
on on the Goal Of The Season award as Nelson tipped over a spectacular long
range effort. A free kick from deep in the Glentoran half was expertly
controlled and fired towards the top corner only to be tipped over by an
outstretched Dwayne Nelson.
Later in the half a Dungannon corner saw
Elliot Morris come to punch the ball and injuring his right hand.
Morris attempted to play on making a fine close-range stop, but he could not
continue as he seemed to be an a great deal of pain. Elliot was then
replaced by substitute goalkeeper Michael Dougherty.
As the game drew to a close it was David
Scullion who almost netted against his old club as he found the keeper to be
off his line, but his 35-yard chip just cleared the crossbar and landed on
the roof of the net.
In the final minutes the game almost took a
turn for the dramatic as Paul Baron raced toward Michael Dougherty going to
ground and gaining a yellow card instead of the desired penalty.
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