Thank you to everyone who kindly sponsored the first team squad players shirts for the season – 48 shirts are now sponsored. Fantastic work. This is very much appreciated by everyone at DSFC. If any more shirts become available for sponsorship we will make you aware. Many thanks again.
Congratulations to Terry fitzpatrick who was named the Supporters Club player of the month for August. He is pictured receiving his award from Laura after the Crusaders match on Saturday.
A month into the new Irish League season and already it is proving as difficult as many feared and indeed expected for Dungannon Swifts. Another disturbingly ineffective attacking performance contributed to this defeat as Crusaders got their title challenge back on track at Stangmore Park. A Colin Coates penalty in the first half and a late second from David McMaster secured the points as Dungannon slumped to their fourth defeat so far. And while there are mitigating circumstances – they have had arguably the toughest start of all 12 teams – it matters little in the harsh world of top division football. This was a game which summed up Swifts’ fortunes. On one level the problems are simple. Dungannon are not creating enough chances, and against Crusaders their attacking play again lacked an incisive edge. But it also underlined longer term issues, with the return of striker Timmy Adamson and goalkeeper Sean O’Neill serving as a reminder of the quality which has been lost. Ultimately it was in those two areas where Saturday’s match was won and lost.
In a game of few chances, Crusaders had players who were capable of taking advantage, while O’Neill made several terrific saves to thwart Dungannon. As with other games, Dixie Robinson could point to an encouraging performance at times, but football is a business where the result is all that really matters. It is also about scoring goals, and currently that is something Dungannon are struggling to do. Perhaps Joe McCready, signed on transfer deadline day from Institute, will help given time. He was drafted straight into the starting line-up but was a peripheral figure for much of the match.
It was Crusaders who had the first chance after 23 minutes. Ciaran Gargan cut in from the left but his strike was deflected onto the crossbar by Craig McClean. O’Neill then denied his old side, producing an instinctive block to keep out Johnny Topley’s bullet header after a free-kick from namesake Montgomery. Adamson had recovered from injury after missing his side’s Monday night loss to Donegal Celtic, and led the Crues’ attack. The striker was watched closely by Swifts’ defence throughout the half, his one chance coming in the 37th minute from a Ryan McCann cross which he headed well over. The deadlock was broken five minutes before the break. Stephen McBride’s run into the box ended when he was taken down by Topley, and Coates powerfully converted the resulting penalty.
Both goalkeepers were called into action after the break. First Niall Morgan denied Paul Leeman, using his legs to block a low strike from the full-backafter he was picked out by McBride’s probing free-kick. Then, when Ryan O’Neill was fouled 25 yards from goal, the Crues ‘keeper prevented Dermot McCaffrey’s terrific effort dipping under the crossbar. Adamson had a sight of goal but, after meeting another searching McBride delivery, he directed the ball into the side-netting. Dungannon continued to probe for an opening, with Michael McKerr, Shea McGerrigan and Stefan Lavery all drafted off the bench as Robinson went for broke. It left them exposed at the back, however, and Crusaders nearly added a second on the counter-attack. After Stuart Dallas was brilliantly denied by the ‘keeper, the ball dropped for Chris Morrow but his low strike was cleared off the line by Darren Murphy. Then O’Neill produced a superb save to thwart Dungannon, thrusting out a hand to fingertip Topley’s header around the post. Crusaders wrapped up the points a minute from the end, Adamson squaring to McMaster whose crisp, right-foot strike gave Morgan little chance.
DGN SWIFTS: Morgan, O’Neill, McCaffrey, McClean (McGerrigan, 72), Montgomery, Fitzpatrick (S Lavery, 77), Murphy, Ward, Topley, Campbell (McKerr, 59), McCready
Subs not used: Funston, Donnelly
CRUSADERS: O’Neill, Coates, Leeman, McKeown, McBride, Dallas, Gargan (McMaster, 30), McCann (Morrow, 62), Watson, Adamson, Halliday (Rainey, 71)
Subs not used: Caddell, Owens Referee: David Malcolm (Belfast)
Dixie Robinson is pictured with Peter Hutton of Global Cinemas Dungannon who kindly sponsored the match. Thank you.
Dungannon Swifts would like to congratulate Liam Donnelly and Eoin Teague for being selected for this years u16 N.I school boys Victory shield squad.
Good luck to both players and we look forward to watching our home grown talent later on in the year on Sky Sports!
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