Our game v Donegal Celtic in the Danske Bank Premier League has been postponed due to the postponement of the NI v Russia World Cup qualifier, and it’s subsequent re-scheduling to 3pm on Saturday.
Our game v Donegal Celtic will now take place on Saturday 30th March, at Stangmore Park at 3.00pm
Dungannon recorded a superb victory in east Belfast on Tuesday night after a battling performance saw them edge out Glentoran, moving Darren Murphy’s side up to 9th in the Premiership table.
It was a demolition derby at Ferney Park where Ballinamallard closed in on a top-six place with this thumping victory over Dungannon Swifts.
The big Tyrone-Fermanagh battle ended in a decisive victory for the Mallards as Jason McCartney claimed his second hat-trick of the season.
But while the Ballinamallard fairytale continues, it was a sobering afternoon for Dungannon fans.
This was Swifts’ biggest loss of the campaign and afterwards manager Darren Murphy branded it their worst performance in his time at the club.
Dungannon entered the match on the back of encouraging results against Crusaders and Portadown and made a promising start on Saturday.
But once McCartney fired Ballinamallard in front, they never looked like coming back.
The former Sligo Rovers striker doubled the home side’s advantage with an hour played before completing his treble with a stunning volley.
Andy Crawford then rammed in their fourth, to jeers of “easy, easy” from the home supporters.
This result leaves Ballinamallard well placed to secure a top-six place, although they face the hardest run-in of the chasing pack with games against Glentoran and Linfield to come.
Meanwhile Dungannon’s situation has changed little after their nearest relegation rivals, Donegal Celtic, slipped to a late loss at Cliftonville.
Perhaps things would have been different had James Costello not wasted a golden chance early on.
A square back-pass from Gareth Liggett presented the ball to the striker but, with a clear sight of goal, Costello dragged his effort wide.
Dungannon had made three changes, including a debut for January signing Tuda Murphy in place of the injured Jonny Curran.
But the goalkeeper’s first task was to pick the ball out of his net with 24 minutes gone.
A long free-kick from Liggett was allowed to reach McCartney at the back post, and he guided a right-foot half-volley into the net.
Poor defending was a feature of Swifts’ afternoon and they were nearly punished again when Ryan Campbell stole possession from Johnny Montgomery. However, he went for goal and fired wide instead of squaring to Dwayne McManus.
McCartney also had two attempts from free-kicks in dangerous positions. The first was hammered into the wall while the second, with a bit more distance and angle to work with, sailed inches over.
Late in the half Chris Curran set up Campbell, but he lifted his shot over the bar.
Costello was hauled off at half-time and replaced by Stefan Lavery, and the switch seemed to work with Dungannon enjoying a promising spell of possession.
However, despite a series of corners, they never tested Alvin Rouse. His only contribution was to thrust out a glove to stop Emmet Friars’ cross slipping under the crossbar.
Instead it was Ballinamallard who claimed a second goal. McCartney was twice denied by Murphy but, after the ball was played back in, he ghosted through the visitors’ defence before slotting home.
On the opening day Dungannon let a 2-0 lead slip at Ferney Park, but there was no question of them producing a similar comeback.
Steve Feeney had a great chance to make it 3-0 after being set up by Curran but, with time and space, fired the ball straight at Murphy.
Yet the ‘keeper was left helpless seconds later as David Kee headed on for McCartney, and he completed his hat-trick with a lovely left-foot volley from 25 yards.
The rout was completed with seven minutes remaining, another defensive blunder gifting the ball to Crawford whose low shot beat the ‘keeper far too easily.
BALLINAMALLARD: Rouse, Keohane (O’Grady, 84), Carters, Kee, Curran, McManus (Crawford, 73), McCartney, Liggett, McKenna, Campbell (Feeney, 70), Phair
Subs not used: McGrath, Hill
DGN SWIFTS: Murphy, O’Neill, Montgomery, McMinn, Friars, McKerr, Hazley, Hutchinson, Harpur (Fitzpatrick, 63), Gawley (C Lavery, 70), Costello (S Lavery, 46)
Subs not used: Douglas, Grieve
Referee: Mark Courtney (Dungannon)
The chase for Premiership survival could yet prove a little more dramatic than many Dungannon Swifts fans were hoping or indeed expecting.
A season which was meandering towards a low-key finish threatens to turn into a nervy scrap after another disappointing loss to Coleraine.
This defeat coupled with a rare win for relegation rivals Donegal Celtic has cut the gap between Dungannon and the danger zone to six points.
With DC due at Stangmore Park this weekend, a once healthy Swifts’ advantage suddenly seems significantly less secure.
A little like the defending which helped Coleraine to the points on Saturday.
Despite taking an early lead, Dungannon ended the afternoon empty-handed after goals from Gareth Tommons, Stephen Lowry and Curtis Allen.
It was a result which secured the Bannsiders’ place in the top six.
For Dungannon the main concern is simply staying amongst the elite 12 of Irish League football, and this result is a reminder that work lies ahead.
Survival is still very much in their hands, however, and a positive result at Glentoran tomorrow plus three points against DC would probably take them over the finish line.
But it will require improvement, particularly in Swifts’ defending.
They created plenty of chances on Saturday, the problem was they conceded just as many too.
And in the likes of Allen, Tommons and David Scullion – the game’s standout player – Coleraine had people capable of taking advantage.
The game started promisingly enough for Dungannon with Chris Lavery’s 25-yard drive drawing the first save from goalkeeper Michael Doherty.
And they were ahead in the 19th minute in bizarre circumstances. Matt Hazley found the net direct from a corner kick, his floated delivery catching out the entire Coleraine defence.
But if that was sloppy then so was the goal Swifts conceded just 80 seconds later.
It was all too simple for the Bannsiders as Aaron Canning was allowed to break forward and cross for the unmarked Tommons to head home.
A much-changed Dungannon side, featuring six alterations from the previous weekend’s match at Ballinamallard, responded in positive fashion.
Stefan Lavery flicked a cross on to namesake Chris but his snapshot was blocked by Doherty.
The winger had an even better chance when Michael McKerr delivered a teasing cross, but he directed his header straight at the goalkeeper.
But the game changed when Coleraine scored a second goal in the 37th minute.
Some neat build-up play saw Allen play in Lowry and, although Jonny Curran got a touch to his shot, it thundered into the top corner.
The Bannsiders could have scored a third as Tommons crossed to Allen, but his effort on the volley flashed narrowly over.
Just before the break Tommons’ header was saved by the ‘keeper. The ball reached Scullion but his effort was inadvertently blocked by Allen.
The game followed a similar pattern after half-time, with Coleraine finally adding the third goal their attacking play had been threatening.
A header from Jamie Tomelty was parried clear but, from the resulting corner, Allen was not picked up and guided the ball past Curran.
Swifts’ best chance of an equaliser fell to Stefan Lavery. A terrific run took him past two players, but his effort was turned on to the crossbar before being cleared.
Otherwise it was an all too comfortable finish for Coleraine as they cemented their place in the top half of the league.
DGN SWIFTS: Curran, McKerr, Friars, McMinn, Grieve, Brennan, Hazley, Fitzpatrick, Gawley (PJ Lavery, 57), S Lavery, C Lavery (Costello, 78)
Subs not used: O’Neill, Montgomery, Glackin
COLERAINE: Doherty, Hegarty, McVey, Scullion, Lowry, Allen, McIlmoyle, Canning, Tommons, McMullan (Harkin, 36), Tomelty
Subs not used: Boyle, Bradley, Owens, Moore
Referee: Mervyn Smyth (Belfast)
We are delighted to announce that five of our current players have signed new deals at the Swifts. These five players are Cameron Grieve, Grant Hutchinson, Matt Hazley, Michael McKerr and Fra Brennan. It is exceptionally encouraging news for the Club that these players have agreed to remain at the Swifts for the next two years despite interest from other clubs in the Irish Premiership.
After working to secure the signatures of these accomplished Swifts players, Swifts manager Darren Murphy said;
“It is great to see these five young players have committed their immediate futures to the club. It comes as a great boost for our club as a whole. It’s a step forward in the right direction and hopefully we can retain the signatures of a few more of our players in the coming days and weeks.This is also a massive boost ahead of our remaining fixtures in the league as we push on to secure our premiership survival.”
