BetMcLean Cup semi-final
Dungannon Swifts 1 Linfield 2
LINFIELD will face Portadown in the BetMcLean League Cup final after a 2-1 win over Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park.
Kyle McClean grabbed a brace for the Blues, while Euan East saw red. Steven Scott pulled one back late on for the home side but it wasn’t to be.
As temperatures fell close to zero at kick-off, the crowd were hoping for some action early on to warm the cockles, and that’s just what they got.
After a fiery opening few minutes, it was the reigning champions who opened the scoring in only the seventh minute.
Veteran captain Jamie Mulgrew made a jinking run across the edge of the Swifts box before he was upended. From the resulting free-kick McClean curled the ball beautifully into the top-right hand corner to the despair of the home fans.
Nine minutes later the away side came close to doubling their lead.
Daniel Finlayson laid the ball off to the incoming Darragh McBrien 25 yards out and his shot struck the left upright before passing across goal, somehow staying out. Millar chipped back into the box to find East, but the defender could not direct his header on target.
However, Rodney McAree’s side were not in the mood to give up and dominated possession for the remaining of the opening period, going close through Gael Bigirimana and striker Ben Gallagher.
They also had a penalty shout denied at the half-hour mark. The impressive Alves almost latched on to a Kaelan Dillon through-ball, but he was ushered out of the way by East in defence. Referee Steven Gregg waved play on.
David Healy’s side struggled to get out of their own half at times, feeling the strain of the Swifts high-pressing game, but survived until the break.
The Tyrone side began the second period equally as sharp as they finished the first, with Alves again pulling the strings, but they just lacked a cutting edge when it mattered.
They were thrown a lifeline on 58 minutes when Scotsman East was sent off on a second yellow card. The defender strangely blocked a clearance kick from the hands of keeper Declan Dunne, leaving the referee with no choice.
However, the Blues are top of the league for a reason and in ruthless style grabbed a second goal on 70 minutes.
McClean played a ball through the Dungannon defence towards Matthew Fitzpatrick, who was in an offside position. However, the striker ignored the ball and McClean was able to run through himself. Goalkeeper Dunne made a diving save at his feet, but McClean managed to turn and shoot on the rebound into the net, much to the frustration of the Swifts defence who were caught napping.
The Swifts got one back in the 82nd minute thanks to Steven Scott. A turn and hit inside the box left Chris Jones with no chance down low to his left.
Try as they might, the equaliser never materialised, and the Swifts fall at the last hurdle before a coveted final.
For Linfield it’s another cup final as their fans head back down the M1 with relief the main emotion after an enthralling game.
Dungannon Swifts Dunne; Curry(c), Marron (Galvin 79′) , Knowles ( Moore 59′), Dillon, S.Scott, Glenny (C.Hegarty 90′), Gallagher (A.Hegarty 79′), McGinty, Alves, Bigirimana.
Subs Ritchie; J.Scott, C.Hegarty, Moore, Hutchinson, A.Hegarty, Galvin
Linfield: Johns; Finlayson, East, Millar, McClean, McBrien (Newberry 59′), Hall, Clarke, McKee (Archer 45′), Mulgrew (c), Fitzpatrick (Cooper 89′)
Subs Walsh, Newberry, Cooper, Annett, McKay, Archer, Graham
