Institute boss Brian Donaghey pleased with share of the spoils against leaders Loughgall

Donaghey conceded that he felt the Villagers were the best visiting team he had seen play in the Lough 41 Championship.

The Drumahoe club had to work hard for a share of the spoils against Dean Smith’s side, this despite Cathair Friel putting them in the front early in the second half.

"We definitely were second best in the first half and that's probably the best visiting team to have come here,” he insisted.

"They were very bright, very energetic and technically very good and I have to say I told their manager and assistant manager that's the best football I've seen by a Championship team in a long time.

"We changed our shape and system about 10 minutes before the first half and there were different reasons for why we did that.

"We just didn't get close enough in midfield and to be fair they were better than us in midfield the last time we played them and I tried to put in a few boys who get about the pitch and get a tackle in, but listen they were just short.

"To be honest they were just sharper all over and credit to them for that and they probably felt hard done by not coming in maybe a goal up at half-time, without really working Dylan (Doherty) too much, I think he had maybe one big save, but that's about it.

"At half-time we had a good chat about it, we changed the formation and we told everybody their roles and what we expected of them and we started better. Jamie (McCormick) obviously gives you a spark up top, Bushy (Cathair Friel) probably likes playing with someone up front and that helped his game, but in the second half everyone did well.

"Mark McFadden also did well when he came on and we went man for man in the second half, we got a bit closer and didn't stand off them, then we started to create opportunities, getting corners and getting shots off, before Bushy scored a very good goal, where he got in between the defender and the keeper to turn the ball home.”

Donaghey was annoyed that referee Neil Robinson awarded a corner from which Loughgall’s Tiernan Kelly headed home their equaliser.

"After our goal they may be sustained a bit of pressure, but I’m going to say it, I've no idea where they’re getting the corner from,” he explained.

"I know they score from it, but the initial shot comes off no one, Mark McFadden is closest and he said that he doesn’t make contact and obviously Dylan pulls his hands away because it’s going wide, but the referee gives a corner and they score from the resulting corner, which is disappointing.

"I’m disappointed for our lads because of the amount of work they put in.

"It’s a tough one, but did we deserve a point, on our second half performance we probably did, because we had a few chances whenever we broke on them and we needed to take care of our final pass whenever we hit them on the break.

"I remember Jamie was clean through and he also had a good chance to set-up Bushy, but to be honest I’m happy enough with a point, they’re a top side, but despite being at home, I see it as a point gained rather than two dropped.”