Dungannon Swifts are proud to announce a new football education academy.
Study Full-time for a BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma in Sport & Exercise at our facilities with South West College
Or choose any other subject/s from the South West College Full-time or Part-time Curriculum
Up to 10 hours a week Practical Coaching Sessions taken by First team staff and UEFA Pro & A Licence Coaches
Performance Analysis
Fitness Testing
Strength & Conditioning
Specific Goalkeeping Sessions & much more
UCAS Points for University
Scholarship Opportunities Available
To register interest, please fill out the form below and we will be in touch. Alternatively, you can contact our academy head directly by emailing: academy@dungannonswiftsfc.com
Last year, Dungannon Swifts, in partnership with Dungannon Baptist Church, hosted our first ever Easter football camp. Each day we had over 80 p4’s-p7’s come and participate in football drills provided by fully qualified coaches. It was so successful, that this year we have offered this Football Camp again from Tuesday 11th of April to Friday 14th of April, 10pm to 12pm each day.
There will be a £10 deposit required that will be returned when/if your child attends 3 of the 4 sessions provided through the week. To sign up please follow this link:: https://dungannonfootballcamp.eventbrite.com
Swifts manager Dean Shiels rued his side’s inconsistency after falling to a disappointing defeat against Portadown under Friday night lights at Shamrock Park.
Having impressed in a 2-0 win away to Newry the previous week, Dungannon had hoped to carry that momentum forward and widen the gap to their Mid Ulster rivals at the bottom of the league table.
Instead, Portadown’s second league win on the bounce and only third of the year leaves them eight points behind with a game in hand.
Shiels expressed his frustration at the below-par performance.
“I think as a whole we had a right go first part of the second half but in general it was really poor,” he said.
The first half in particular was a horror show for Shiels and the vocal away support, with the manager admitting the team were “very lucky” to go in just a goal down.
That goal came after only four minutes when Paul McElroy collected a low cross from the right and was able to swivel and shoot past Declan Dunne.
Just two minutes later there was a major let-off when the former Swifts man hit the post after a cross from the left found him unmarked just eight yards out.
Portadown later found the other post when Stephen Teggart flashed a ball from the byline across the goal and off the far upright.
There were several other close shaves during the half, including a good save by Dunne from a Teggart shot before half-time.
Dungannon’s closest effort was a shot from Michael O’Connor from near the half-way line which hit the side netting as Ports keeper Mastny scrambled back after clearing the ball.
The Swifts needed a big response in the second half and they were a transformed team right from the whistle, tackling like tigers and looking dangerous each time they went forward.
First O’Connor saw a goal-bound shot saved by Mastny at full stretch. Then Rhyss Campbell came agonisingly close, stretching to reach a superb Marc Walsh cross but hooking the ball just inches past the post.
After further pressure, Dungannon got what they deserved on 57 minutes when Campbell let a throw-in run past his body and crossed from the byline for Ethan McGee to fire in the equaliser.
As the players celebrated with the ecstatic away support, it seemed there was only one team now in the contest.
However, the momentum would shift again just minutes later when out of nothing, McElroy was found on the left-hand side of the box and his shot squeezed past Dunne at the near post.
The drama continued when referee Lee Tavinder awarded a penalty for a challenge by Dunne on Lee Upton, only for the offside flag to reverse the decision.
A minute later, it was the Swifts’ turn to hit the woodwork when Jordan Jenkins smashed the ball against the crossbar with just the keeper to beat.
However, the away team’s challenge fell away as the half continued and it was Portadown who began to look the more likely to score. Victory was secured in the final minutes when McElroy completed his hatrick from the penalty spot after being brought down by Caolan Coyle
Afterwards, Shiels said the team were too easy to play against in the first half.
“When we were attacking, every time we lost posession, the transition, they stuck it in behind us and they looked very threatening. We weren’t preparing to lose the ball,” he said.
“I knew we would get a reaction at half time. I felt we would come out and maybe create chances and we did that. At 1-1 we looked quite threatening and then we gave them a wee bit of momentum. We had full momentum and then that shifted by letting in a really poor goal defensively.”
He said inconsistency has been an issue across most of the season.
“At Newry we get a clean sheet, we never looked like conceding. We were so well organised defensively. And it’s the same team, I put trust in the same team that were so good at Newry and then so poor tonight. So it’s just inconsistency in the individals and then collectively,” he said.
Next up for Dungannon is an Irish Cup quarter-final against Cliftonville at Solitude, before returning to league action against Carrick back at Stangmore on 11th March.
As originally planned, we will have a free bus service for this Fridays game to Portadown. Please click the link above to take you to our Facebook page where you can confirm you attendance for those organising! #COYS
For those interested in travelling to the Newry and Portadown matches over the next two weeks, please click on the image below and sign up for the Bus on our Facebook page. More details to follow.
Congratulations to Padraig Lynch who has been rewarded, for all his hard work, with his first professional contract at Dungannon Swifts Football Club. This is fantastic news for the eighteen year old forward who is a very dedicated player.
“Since arriving through the doors of DUY indoor community programme as a 7 year old it didn’t take long for us to realise that Padraig was a talented young lad. He always had a great football brain and an eye for scoring all types of goals from those early days and this has continued right up until now as he has scored 30 goals already this season. We are delighted to see Padraig get his first professional contract with the club and I have no doubt that he will have a very good future ahead of him. “
Dixie Robinson
Congratulations Padraig, we wish you every success with your new contract.
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