by DSFC Media | Feb 16, 2015 | Uncategorized
After the tremendous news that four players had agreed new deals at the club, (Wilson, Douglas, Hutchinson and Harpur), this week we were delighted to announce that our Vice Captain and forever dependable defender David Armstrong has agreed a three year extension to his current Swifts contract. This delivers a major boost to the club as a whole as supporters can sit back and appreciate that the players want to stay at Dungannon Swifts and can only bode well for our forthcoming football.
David joined the club last summer and has slotted into his role at centre half comfortably, as well as making plenty of new friends on the pitch he has made just as many off the pitch at the club. David has adapted well to life at Dungannon Swifts and is certainly relishing his time here.
When speaking to David this week he made his feelings precise about the Swifts…
“To be honest I wouldn’t sign for anyone else in the Country! That’s just how much I am enjoying my football here. I’m at a stage where I certainly need to be playing and enjoying my football and thanks to Murph and Rod, and everyone else at the club, they have got that desire back in me and the love for the game comes flowing along with it.
Playing for the Swifts is different in a way from some other clubs in that there is no pressure on you to be expected to go out and win every single game you play in. Players can go out and give 100 per cent and people know you’re putting in the effort and it’s a real windfall when results come your way as it means so much to everyone. The club is a real family orientated club where everyone is close to each other and knows each other. My mum and dad would regularly come and watch us playing, especially our home games. My dad always enjoys watching games at Stangmore Park in particular and when in attendance they have always been made more than welcome by everyone around the club. Unfortunately my ‘Mrs’ works most Saturdays but the odd time she has been able to make a few games and bring my two year old son Alfie which has been really wonderful.
I think it always takes time to gel at a new club but it’s important to get off to a good start and that is half the battle. I feel that I did that and the boys in the squad took to me well helping me gel right in from early on in the season. I’ve been named as vice-captain of the club and actually captained the side on numerous occasions when Harps was off getting married (haha!), injured and suspended for example. Without any doubt it’s an absolute honour to Captain your team and the first time I got handed the captaincy I was a bit shocked as it is my first year at the club but I love doing it and hope to captain the side many more times in the future!
It’s been a strange season for us, the first half of the season we were playing great football but not getting the results in my opinion. Whereas more recently to our own standards we maybe haven’t played as well as we would like to but we have been winning and picking up valuable points. Hopefully we can keep the momentum going as there is such a positive buzz around the place at the minute.
On a different note there is a player on our team you are all going to have to watch out for, Francis Brennan. He’s always telling me he is the best player in the Country, so he must be going to turn into some player because I just haven’t seen it yet! My favourite thing about playing for the Swifts is getting to see Abby Sanusi’s clothing attire every training night. Oh dear me! Brutal.”
We take the opportunity to extend continued best wishes to David with his three year extension and wish him every success in a Swifts shirt. He has been an exceptional addition to our team in 2014/15 and we are ever grateful for his efforts.
Good luck David.
by DSFC Media | Jan 29, 2015 | Uncategorized
We are delighted to announce Jamie Douglas, Ryan Harpur, Grant Hutchinson and Andrew Mitchell have all signed two year extensions from the end of their current deals.
Defender Dougie Wilson has signed to stay until the end of the current season with the option of a further year to be added.
As a club this is a very positive boost ahead of our game against current League leaders Crusaders at Stangmore Park this Saturday.
by DSFC Media | Jan 24, 2015 | Uncategorized
Conor Mullen’s first touch in league football was a decisive one, a winning one.
The teenager, a regular scorer at reserve and youth level this season, showed he can transfer that potential to the main stage by hitting a late winner at Coleraine.
Mullen was handed his debut six minutes from the end, at a time when a conservative change may have been a more persuasive option for Dungannon manager Darren Murphy.
Gary Browne had just levelled for Coleraine, finally applying a clinical edge to the Bannsiders’ promising but wasteful approach play.
But rather than settle for what would still have been a useful point, Murphy gambled, sending on Mullen in a move which was richly rewarded.
The win takes Dungannon to eighth in the table, although the relegation equation continues to change by the week.
Institute, their opponents tomorrow night, sit bottom, with Ballinamallard and Warrenpoint making up a four-way battle for survival.
The match itself was scrappy at times with conditions hardly favouring a free-flowing game.
Coleraine enjoyed spells of good possession but struggled to turn their dominance of the ball into clear-cut chances.
An example came inside the first minute when Ian Parkhill fed Shane McGinty, but the midfielder dragged his shot beyond the far post.
Dungannon’s opening effort came from a free-kick 30 yards from goal, but Ryan Harpur’s effort was safely gathered by Michael Doherty.
Some neat footwork from Andrew Mitchell saw him lift the ball over Stephen Douglas, but his finish did not match the impressive approach play and failed to trouble the goalkeeper.
McGinty went close again after cutting in from the right, only to drag his shot wide of the mark once more.
Coleraine hadn’t won any of their last five games and fell behind in the 27th minute.
Grant Hutchinson broke down the left and delivered a superb cross to pick out Mitchell, who headed home from close range.
The home side’s best chance of the half came seven minutes later.
Aaron Canning’s long ball found its way through to Matthew Snoddy. He tried to round Andy Coleman but the goalkeeper recovered to parry his effort away.
The game followed a similar pattern in the second half.
David Armstrong, celebrating his 28th birthday, marked the occasion with a great block tackle to thwart Mark Miskimmin.
Coleraine were proving wasteful in front of goal, and they spurned another glorious chance on 63 minutes.
Neil McCafferty’s pass reached Parkhill in the box, however, the striker could only deflect the ball wide of the target.
As the rain poured down, Coleraine’s frustration grew, and they struggled to break down a well organised Dungannon defence.
However, all that changed 10 minutes from the end.
A long goal kick from Doherty caught out the visitors’ back line, allowing Browne to race clear and coolly slot past Coleman.
So often this season late goals have been a feature of Dungannon games, and this one would be no different.
Unlike most other times, however, the Tyrone side were the beneficiaries as Mullen marked his debut by scoring the winner.
The home defence hesitated rather than dealing with a ball from the left, and Mullen poked home from close range with his first touch.
COLERAINE: Doherty, Hegarty, Douglas, Snoddy, McCafferty, McGinty, Canning, Mullan, Parkhill (Browne, 69), Miskimmin (Lyons, 82), Kane
Subs not used: Watt, Barton, Findlay
DGN SWIFTS: Coleman, Lowe, Wilson, Armstrong, Burns (Brennan, 25), McCullough, Hutchinson, Hazley, Harpur, Douglas (Mullen, 84), Mitchell (Liggett, 52)
Subs not used: O’Rourke, Fitzpatrick
Referee: Mervyn Smyth (Belfast)
by DSFC Media | Jan 16, 2015 | Uncategorized
Friday 16th January, 2015
Tonights fixutre: Institute v Dungannon Swifts at Riverside Stadium, Drumahoe has been postponed due to weather conditions.
by DSFC Media | Jan 10, 2015 | Uncategorized
Gary Liggett ended his barren run in front of goal with a classy double to fire Dungannon Swifts through to the last 16 of the Irish Cup.
The striker came off the bench to make a game-changing impact on this absorbing fifth-round tie.
He scored twice to end Ballinamallard’s cup dreams and set up a meeting with Championship One club Ballyclare Comrades.
Ninety minutes weren’t enough to separate the sides in a match which was high on drama and incident, if not quality football.
A storming start by Dungannon saw them race into a two-goal lead inside 20 minutes.
But a goal late in the first half from Johnny Courtney roused Ballinamallard into life, and they quickly took charge of the tie.
An eye-catching free-kick from substitute David Kee levelled it at 2-2.
But the visitors’ hopes were hit by Johnny Lafferty’s red card. His exit, and Liggett’s introduction, eventually saw Swifts through.
Dungannon now face Ballyclare and, while an away tie will be awkward, they have a terrific chance of making the quarter-finals.
Meanwhile, the Mallards can now focus on their primary objective of securing their senior status in the closing weeks of the campaign.
They showed tremendous character, battling back from two goals down despite missing a host of experienced players.
But Whitey Anderson will rue a poor opening half-hour which gifted Dungannon a two-goal lead.
The first came in the third minute and isn’t one Stefan McCusker will want to see again.
Matt Hazley’s tepid strike should have been a simple collect for the goalkeeper, but the ball somehow squirmed through his grasp.
Ballinamallard, missing six defenders, fielded Jason McCartney in a makeshift back line.
Therefore it was perhaps little surprise that they looked vulnerable each time Dungannon got the ball forward.
Dougie Wilson could have made it 2-0 but his left-foot strike from outside the box was parried wide.
Dungannon doubled their lead in the 19th minute after more hesitancy in the visitors’ defence.
Jamie Douglas timed his run to meet a terrific pass from Hazley. His strike was blocked by the goalkeeper but Jamie Glackin was there to drive home the rebound.
Perhaps it was too easy for Dungannon, and there was more than a hint of complacency about Ballinamallard’s goal.
A careless back pass from Andrew Burns was intercepted by Courtney and he aimed for goal, although his strike did benefit from a big deflection off David Armstrong.
It meant the second half was more competitive than it should have been.
Ballinamallard enjoyed plenty of possession, but it wasn’t until the 76th minute that their pressure told.
They won a free-kick on the edge of the box and Kee seized responsibility, curling a sublime left-footed effort past Alvin Rouse.
Extra time beckoned, but the Mallards’ hopes took a blow with the dismissal of Lafferty, controversially shown red for an off-the-ball incident.
Dungannon took full advantage, edging back in front in the 99th minute.
Douglas swung over a corner which Liggett met on the half-volley, with the ball taking a bounce as it squeezed past the goalkeeper.
And any doubts were ended at the start of the second period when Liggett ran on to a pass from David McCullough and scored with a classy low finish.
DGN SWIFTS: Rouse, Lowe, Armstrong, Burns, Wilson (O’Rourke, 57), Glackin (Fitzpatrick, 72), McCullough, Hutchinson, Hazley, Douglas, Mitchell (Liggett, 82)
Subs not used: Coleman, Sanusi
BALLINAMALLARD: McCusker, Phair (Kee, 63), McKenna, Carters, McCartney, Courtney (Elding, 82), Hutchinson, Foy (Currie, 70), Martin, Lafferty, Campbell
Subs not used: Murphy, N Beacom
Referee: Raymond Crangle (Belfast)
After the tremendous news that four players had agreed new deals at the club, (Wilson, Douglas, Hutchinson and Harpur), this week we were delighted to announce that our Vice Captain and forever dependable defender David Armstrong has agreed a three year extension to his current Swifts contract. This delivers a major boost to the club as a whole as supporters can sit back and appreciate that the players want to stay at Dungannon Swifts and can only bode well for our forthcoming football.
