BPFL Intermediate League, Division One
St James' Swifts 3-3 Ballymoney United
IT finished honours even at the end of 90-plus minutes at Donegal Celtic Park on Saturday as St James' Swifts and Ballymoney United shared six goals and the league points.
This was a see-saw of a game with both teams coming from behind to lead with Eugene Gallagher's second of the day securing a draw for the hosts, but both teams had chances aplenty to find a winner in the last 10 minutes.
Perhaps a draw was fair enough as both tried desperately to edge back ahead and they could really have at least doubled what they netted as those in attendance were treated to a hugely entertaining affair.
The hosts seemed to be in command in the opening quarter but aside from a couple of Ciaran Hyland efforts well off target, there wasn't anything really clear-cut.
Ballymoney sent a few probing balls forward with little result but on 15 minutes, they were awarded a penalty as Mark McDonald lunged in on Matthew Knight and team captain, Paul Keane buried the reward.
It didn't take the hosts long to level as five minutes later, Deaglan McDiarmid did well to force a corner from chasing a lost cause. The ball was played short to Conor Sullivan who whipped in a great ball and Hyland met it first-time to finish at the near post.
This reasserted the Swifts' dominance and with 33 gone they hit the front in spectacular fashion as a ball clipped in from the right was taken down on the chest by Eugene Gallagher who deftly volleyed overhead and guided into the net.
Paul Keane puts the visitors into a 3-2 lead fromt he penalty spot
Ballymoney responded well with Knight forcing a low stop from Paul McLaughlin and Michael Feerick then slid in to make a perfectly-timed challenge on Knight who was about to pull the trigger.
Jake Wallace then had a great chance to level on the stroke of half-time when the ball broke inside the box but he blas=zed wide as the Swifts held that 2-1 advantage.
The visitors sought a quick response after the break and just moments in, a slide ball through the middle put Abel Ferreira through, but he dallied a little and a tame shot at the near post only found the side netting.
It was becoming a bit stretched with both seeking to go a little more direct with both defences required to be on alert. Gallagher tried his luck again but this time his improvised effort lacked the direction it required, but Swifts' substitute Phillip McPeake added a little added spark along the right flank.
But the equaliser would come just shy of the hour mark as Knight clipped a ball into the area with James Drain adjusting to nod backwards and there was Jake Wallace to prod home.
Ballymoney could have taken the lead five minutes later when Swifts' goalkeeper Paul McLaughlin opted to nod a long ball downfield back out instead of gathering and Josh Tennant returned it with interest with the goalkeeper scrambling back to turn over.
However, they would retake the lead just a minute later as from a free-kick on the right whipped in, Knight took a tumble from contact with Dean Youle in the box and although it looked innocuous enough, another penalty was given by Iain Banks and again, Keane buried.
The onus was now on the hosts to get back on terms and naturally, they had more urgency in their play. An inviting low ball across the face of goal from Jude Winchester just needed a touch home, but on 76 minutes, the leveller came as a long ball forward was touched into the path of Gallagher by Winchester and the striker cut in and fired high past John Connolly.
Neither side was content with their lot as it turned into a frantic finish with a number of glorious chances at both ends.
It all began three minutes from stoppage time as Swifts defender Mark McDonald made a crucial block on Tennant.
Gallagher can't believe his misfirtune as his last-gasp effort comes off the crossbar 
At the other end, a free-kick broke to Conor Farrelly, but it just didn't sit right for him to turn home. Ballymoney went straight on the break with one of their subs, Alex Doherty in front of goal, but he failed to convert.
Into added time, Swifts' goalkeeper McLaughlin got down to tip a Jake Wallace out for a corner swung in and McPeake had to be alert to nod off the line.
The hosts then had their opportunities as a break saw Farrelly win the race ahead of Connolly but his touch took him wide as he rolled across goal but Eugene Gallegher was just unable to get a proper contact at full stretch with the goal gaping.
Doherty again purned a chance for Ballym oney and then in the last act of the game, Farrelly again provided the ball to Gallagher who cut onto his right but the thunderous shot came off the underside of the bar and bounced clear.
How some of those chances didn't go in was a mystery but as it was, the sides finished level and take a point apiece after a hugely entertaining affair.
ST JAMES' SWIFTS: P McLaughlin, M Feerick (P O'Prey 51), D McHugh, M McDonald, D Youle, C Sullivan (C Farrelly 72), D McDiarmid (J McCall 72), C Rooney (P McPeake 51), E Gallagher, J Winchester, C Hyland.
Goals: C Hyland 20; E Gallagher 33, 76
BALLYMONEY UNITED: J Connolly, J Douglas, J Drain, A McComb, J Tennant, N Kerr, M Knight (A Doherty 79), A Ferreira (L McConnell 54), P Keane, L Patton (A Patterson 67), J Wallace.
Goals: P Keane 15 (pen), 65 (pen); J Wallace 59
REFEREE: Iain Banks
