Boxing Day Entertainment For All The Family
Dungannon Swifts entertain the high flying Ballinamallard United in their first ever Boxing Day game in the Irish Premier League on Wednesday 26th December. Kick Off 3pm.
As a special treat for all of our supporters, players and friends, the club has arranged to have some entertainment in the form of the fantastic local live band ‘Daybreak’ to play after the fixture in the clubhouse. Daybreak will play from 5pm and carry on into the evening.
We will also be providing complimentary food for everyone in the clubhouse. So, why not enjoy some quality time over the festive period with those other people who share the same passion as you.
Everyone including and especially children will be made most welcome through out the day and evening. It is a time for all of the family to get involved and have a great day out over the holidays at Stangmore Park.
Please support your club.
Match rescheduled: Dungannon Swifts v Glenavon
Our fixture v Glenavon which was postponed due to a waterlogged pitch on Saturday 22nd December has been rescheduled for Tuesday 15th January. Kick Off 7.45pm at Stangmore Park.
Linfield 2 Dungannon Swifts 1
Swifts goalscorer Stefan Lavery celebrates after pulling a goal back
It may be the festive season but referee Raymond Crangle can’t expect much goodwill from Dungannon Swifts fans this Christmas.
His controversial penalty call proved decisive as Linfield kept their faint title hopes alive with this narrow but hugely important victory at Windsor Park.
Despite another battling display, Dungannon were denied by an early Peter Thompson header and that Brian McCaul spot-kick.
The goals came at crucial times in the game – Thompson scoring after 105 seconds and McCaul doubling that lead four minutes after the restart.
Dungannon did pull one back through Stefan Lavery, while Alan Blayney produced a wonder save from his own defender, but the Blues held on.
Although far from a convincing Linfield performance, it keeps them in the title race – just about – heading into a crucial period of the season.
They sit 14 points behind Cliftonville, but that gap can easily change during a make-or-break spell which sees each team play six times in four weeks.
It is a particularly important period for Dungannon, who face two of their main relegation rivals – Glenavon and Lisburn Distillery – during that run of games.
Manager Darren Murphy can take confidence from parts of this performance, albeit Swifts rarely showed the ambition and authority to suggest they could beat Linfield.
They did not help themselves by conceding a sloppy goal within two minutes of the kick-off.
A foul on the impressive Mark McAllister handed Linfield a free-kick, and Thompson was left free to direct home Michael Carvill’s delivery.
Just why Thompson was not picked up in the box will be one issue examined by Murphy.
Suddenly what was already a difficult task seemed much tougher for Dungannon, but the Blues onslaught typical of previous years never materialised.
Indeed the first half was notable by the absence of chances and goalmouth pressure.
Dungannon’s first chance came when Josh Cahoon’s cross reached Neal Gawley, however, the ball was cleared before he could take advantage.
At the other end Niall Morgan was quickly off his line to stop Carvill converting Jim Ervin’s pass while a Michael Gault volley flashed narrowly over the bar.
Murphy would have wanted Dungannon to stamp their authority on the game after the break, but a second Blues goal dealt a major blow to their hopes.
A scrap between Billy Joe Burns and Fra Brennan continued into the box, with the referee harshly penalising the visitors’ defender. McCaul calmly converted the resulting penalty.
McCaul nearly added to the scoring when he connected with Carvill’s free-kick but headed the ball straight at the ‘keeper.
Dungannon continued to battle, however, with a 25-yard Matt Hazley strike flashing narrowly wide.
And they were right back in the game when Lavery halved the deficit in the 67th minute.
Winger Neal Gawley in action for the Swifts v Micahel Carvill
The teenager, a 54th minute replacement for Johnny Topley, edged ahead of William Murphy to convert a probing cross from Gawley.
It briefly stirred Linfield back to life. McAllister, whose hold-up play and tireless work was a feature of Linfield’s performance, set up Carvill but his low shot was easily stopped.
Then Morgan pulled off a superb block to deny McCaul after he took possession on the edge of the box, turned and landed a shot on target.
Those misses could have been punished by Dungannon but for a magnificent save from Alan Blayney.
Lavery cut down the right wing and his cross was directed towards his own goal by Ervin. However, the Linfield ‘keeper made a superb stop to claw his header clear of danger.
LINFIELD: Blayney, Armstrong, Gault (Garrett, 46), Murphy, Thompson, Carvill, Burns, Ervin, Mulgrew, McCaul, McAllister
Subs not used: Lowry, Fordyce, Watson, Clarke
DGN SWIFTS: Morgan, R O’Neill, Grieve, Hazley, Fitzpatrick, Topley (S Lavery, 54), Brennan, Friars, C Lavery, Cahoon (S O’Neill, 61), Gawley
Subs not used: Harpur, Hutchinson, Glackin
Referee: Raymond Crangle (Belfast)
Morgan to Quit Swifts
Swifts ‘keeper Morgan in possession for the Swifts
Photo Courtesy of presseye.com
Swifts goalkeeper Niall Morgan will leave Stangmore Park in mid-January to concentrate on fulfilling his dream on playing GAA for Tyrone. Morgan who was called up to Mickey Harte’s Tyrone squad in late November has admitted leaving the club is the hardest decision he has ever had to make.
Morgan is one of the best young prospects in local football and his departure from the club comes as a massive loss to us but one that Darren Murphy along with Pat McGibbon will work swiftly to recover from. Morgan will be available for the club throughout December and part of January before linking up with Tyrone.
After being named in Harte’s new look squad for the 2013 campaign, Murphy told Morgan that he needed to make the decision whether his long term future was with Dungannon Swifts or Tyrone GAA.
Morgan has now decided his future lies with Tyrone – but he admitted it has been an agonising choice…
“It was probably the most difficult decision of my life, everyone says you have to choose at some stage, and it is unfortunate it has come this way. It was hard to choose between playing football for the club I’ve been with since I was a kid or playing GAA for my County. I knew that if I gave up at this stage that I wouldn’t get another chance. I’ve now taken the chance, I’ll see how it goes but I’m still contracted to Dungannon so if I ever decide to come back to the Irish League there will only be one club that I’ll go to.”
A disappointed but understand Swifts Manager, Darren Murphy, had these words to say about losing Morgan;
“While football is my game, I am a sports person first and foremost, and I understand that Niall has dreams and ambitions. He is a young lad from Tyrone who wants to play for them at the highest possible level. I can fully appreciate that and he goes with my best wishes, and I sincerely mean that.”
Dungannon Swifts as a Club would like to Thank Niall for his committed service to the club throughout his entire football career to date. Niall started out as a fresh faced youngster in nets for Dungannon United Youth, he has come a long way to where he is today featuring for Northern Ireland at various under age levels and most recently was back up keeper for the Northern Ireland Under 21 squad this year.
As Niall will remain under contract for the club and will also carry on playing in a Swifts jersey until mid-January, we would like everyone to continue showing him and the rest of the team all the support and encouragement you can. Niall remains an instrumental and important member of our team over the holiday period with some difficult fixtures coming up for the Swifts.
Morgan saves a shot v Linfield in October 2012. Photo Courtesy of presseye.com