Glentoran held to frustrating draw against Bangor

Tiarnan Mulvenna scored a goal of the season contender as Bangor and Glentoran battled out a 1-1 draw at Clandeboye Park.

The midfielder fired home a spectacular long-range strike on 70 minutes to break the deadlock in a tense tussle.

Pat Hoban levelled for the visitors eight minutes later to prevent a third successive league defeat for Declan Devine's side.

Glentoran remain third in the league standings, but missed the chance to close the gap on Coleraine and Larne, while Bangor move above Ballymena United into seventh position.

Glens squander late chances to snatch victory

Bangor should have gone in front on 10 minutes when Harry Lynch's flick-on was touched on Ben Cushnie to Ben Arthurs just outside the six-yard box, but he could only shoot tamely at Andrew Mills.

Glentoran's first attack saw Jordan Stewart cross from the left and David Fisher swivel to shoot, but his effort lacked the power to trouble Patrick Solis Grogan.

Stewart tested Solis Grogan again with a low shot which the goalkeeper turned around his near post.

The goalkeeper was also equal to a Hoban header from a Ciaran Coll cross in a largely forgettable opening period.

The stalemate continued in the second half with Joe Thomson diverting Cammy Palmer's cross wide at the near post while Stewart glanced a header wide from a Ryan Cooney free-kick.

The deadlock was eventually broken with 20 minutes left when Mulvenna brilliantly controlled a long clearance from Solis Grogan and with his second touch, curled a superb shot over Mills from 25 yards.

But Bangor's lead lasted only eight minutes as Stewart sent Cooney clear on the right flank and his inviting cross was turned home on the volley by Hoban.

The home side missed a glorious chance to win the game as Arthurs met Stephen McGuinness' cross with a powerful header, but Mills was able to palm the ball around the near post.

Hoban came close to winning it for Glentoran with a snap-shot which whistled inches wide and then the prolific striker diverted a Danny Amos free-kick wide from close range as the game finished level.