Stephen O’Neill gave Dungannon Swifts fans a glimpse of his potential with a sublime equaliser as Cliftonville were held at Stangmore Park.
The striker hit a late but much merited goal to mark his home debut in style as the Reds were forced to settle for a point.
And while it may only be the second match of a long campaign, it is doubtful whether Dungannon fans will see a better strike all season.
It arrived seven minutes from the end of a disappointing match, when O’Neill latched on to a poor clearance from the visitors’ defence.
He unleashed a dipping volley from 30-plus yards which sailed over the helpless goalkeeper and into the top corner, securing a credible draw against the North Belfast side.
Some 34 points separated these sides last term, but there was little between them on Saturday as both teams laboured in the August sunshine.
After a lacklustre first half bereft of goals, the deadlock was broken in the 58th minute when Adam McMinn turned Liam Boyce’s effort past his own goalkeeper.
But O’Neill’s spectacular equaliser was the culmination of a stirring finish from Dungannon.
It brought an end to a dismal losing sequence against the Reds, stretching back 10 matches, but more importantly offered hope for the months ahead.
Last season was a struggle for Swifts, with the lack of attacking potency a key problem. Indeed they were the lowest scorers in the whole division.
O’Neill was brought in to address that issue and, on this evidence, will be a key signing.
Dungannon made three changes from the side which drew at Ballinamallard with another summer signing, Francis Brennan, also handed a debut at right-back.
But the changes failed to spark Swifts in a lacklustre opening 45 minutes.
The main chance fell to Cliftonville just before the break. A free-kick from Martin Donnelly reached George McMullan but his close-range snapshot struck the crossbar.
It was a fortunate break, the type Dungannon have lacked in recent times.
Donnelly had gone close early on with a shot which flashed across goal, while McMullan saw a 25-yard lob land just wide of the home goal.
At the other end a Michael McKerr cross brushed the head of Matt Hazley before going wide while a Ryan Harpur strike crashed inches over the crossbar.
The early minutes of the second half saw Dungannon come into the game, but they were dealt a blow when Cliftonville broke the deadlock.
A poor free-kick from Hazley – straight into the wall – allowed the visitors to counter.
Boyce surged down the right flank, cutting inside before unleashing a left foot strike which took a crucial deflection off McMinn, sending it into the net.
It triggered activity on both benches. Cliftonville made a triple change while Sean Friars and Chris Lavery joined earlier substitute Grant Hutchinson in the Dungannon line-up.
And Lavery’s energy was a factor in a stirring response from the home side.
O’Neill headed wide after a cross from Cameron Grieve while Lavery set up Friars, but his close-range effort was straight at the Reds’ goalkeeper.
Between times Jonny Curran – again deputising for the suspended Niall Morgan – showed his potential with a superb block to keep out a powerful Boyce volley.
And it proved crucial, with O’Neill rescuing a deserved point with that stunning equaliser.
DGN SWIFTS: Curran, E Friars, Brennan, McMinn, Grieve, Hazley, Harpur (Hutchinson, 56), S Lavery (S Friars, 66), Topley (C Lavery, 66), McKerr, S O’Neill
Subs not used: Murphy, Fitzpatrick
CLIFTONVILLE: Devlin, McGovern, Cosgrove (Garrett, 59), B Holland, McMullan, Donnelly (Caldwell, 59), O’Carroll (Gormley, 59), Seydak, Smyth, Catney, Boyce
Subs not used: Lynch, Stuart
Referee: Raymond Hetherington (Dungannon)
Match photos can be found in our Gallery section of the website.
