by DSFC Media | Nov 15, 2012 | Uncategorized
Football can be a funny old game. It can also be very cruel.
Just ask any Dungannon Swifts supporter who was at the Oval on Saturday to see Andy Waterworth snatch this late, late victory for Glentoran.
On more than one occasion this season Dungannon have been the beneficiaries of a stoppage-time goal. This time they experienced the despair of conceding in the final seconds.
It was three minutes into added time when Waterworth fired home to steal the points.
The goal came while one of Swifts’ most influential players, central defender Emmet Friars, was off the pitch for enforced treatment to a head injury.
Adding to their frustration was an even later penalty appeal from Jamie Glackin which was ignored.
As tempers boiled over at the final whistle, Sean Friars – an unused substitute – was shown a red card after an angry exchange with the referee.
After the game, a clearly exasperated Darren Murphy communicated his displeasure to the referee’s assessor.
It had looked so promising for Dungannon when Josh Cahoon fired them into a second half lead.
But Glentoran equalised within five minutes when Richard Clarke’s header beat the goalkeeper a little too easily.
And in a frantic finale they snatched the points through Waterworth’s 50thclub goal.
The late drama was in stark contrast to a game which for long periods was a stale affair, notably the first half when neither goalkeeper was tested.
The best chance came for the Glens in the 33rd minute when a Stephen Carson corner wasn’t cleared, and a return shot from Clarke flashed inches wide of the back post.
Glentoran had gone close minutes earlier when a throw reached Jim O’Hanlon 25 yards out, but his rising strike carried too much power and fizzed over.
Later O’Hanlon fed David Howland, but his snap-shot was also fractionally off target.
At the other end Dungannon carried little threat. Their first effort came via former Glens player Neal Gawley but his low strike from distance was well wide.
Their only other attempt of note came when a long goal kick reached Cahoon, but a last-ditch interception denied him a shot on goal.
The natives’ mood was not helped when Dungannon took a shock 56thminute lead.
Gawley crossed, Jimmy Callacher failed to clear the danger, and the ball came to Cahoon whose powerful effort rocketed into the top corner.
Unfortunately for the visitors, that lead lasted merely five minutes.
A superb delivery from Carson was flicked on to Clarke inside the box. His header should have been comfortably blocked but it slipped through Niall Morgan’s hands, clearly crossing the line before the goalkeeper pushed the ball back out.
Dungannon nearly retook the lead when Matt Hazley drilled an angled shot wide while Cahoon fired over after taking a pass from Lavery and beating several defenders.
Home fans were on their feet screaming for a penalty when Emmet Friars appeared to block Stephen McAlorum’s shot with his arms, but the referee ignored their appeals.
Glentoran thought they had won it when a Waterworth effort rippled the goal – only to realise the ball had struck the outside of the net.
But with seconds remaining, he snatched the points.
A Sean Ward shot was deflected into the striker’s path and, with Friars off the field, Waterworth found the space needed to fire home.
GLENTORAN: Morris, R Clarke (McAlorum, 63), Magee, Ward, Howland (McGuigan, 63), Waterworth, Carson, M Clarke, Hill, Callacher, O’Hanlon (Murray, 79)
Subs not used: Nixon, Garrett
DGN SWIFTS: Morgan, Hazley, Gawley (S O’Neill, 80), Cahoon (C Lavery, 72), Grieve, S Lavery (Glackin, 87), R O’Neill, Topley, Brennan, Harpur, E Friars
Subs not used: Montgomery, S Friars
Referee: Alan Black (Antrim)
by DSFC Media | Nov 1, 2012 | Uncategorized
First Team Coach- Pat McGibbon, Photo courtesy of presseye.com
Swifts Manager, Darren Murphy has today revealed former Wigan Athletic and Manchester United player Pat McGibbon as the new First Team Coach at the Club.Thirty-nine year old Pat comes from Lurgan, Co Armagh. He most recently was manager of Newry City up until he resigned in July 2012.
Speaking of his new appointment, Murphy said ” I am delighted to have someone of the calibre of Pat come to Dungannon Swifts. Pat has a wealth of experience including both coaching and managing both North and South of the border. Having been a full time professional footballer with Wigan, Manchester United and Swansea, Pat was also a Full Northern Ireland International. I am really looking forward to having Pat work alongside me at the club. I plan to introduce Pat to all the players and he will then watch the game from the stand tomorrow night when we take on Ballymena United at Stangmore Park.”
Swifts Chairman Joe McAree also speaks highly of McGibbon, “I am thrilled that Darren has brought in Pat McGibbon as First Team Coach, I have known Pat many, many years, since he was an 11 year old boy playing football in Lurgan. I was invited to my first ever football tournament in Scotland, Pat and Rodney actually played on the same Under 11 team in that tournament. Pat is a really nice top drawer fella, what he has achieved in his career has been fantastic and it is a pleasure to have him on board.”
We welcome Pat to Stangmore Park and wish him every success as First Team Coach of Dungannon Swifts Football Club.
by DSFC Media | Oct 28, 2012 | Uncategorized
On a weekend when the clocks went back, Ryan Harpur struck in the nick of time for Dungannon Swifts.
His late, late header secured a vital point against fellow strugglers Lisburn Distillery – minutes after the Whites seemed to have snatched victory.
But the equaliser was as controversial as it was crucial, with the referee blowing for a penalty before the ball crossed the line – only to backtrack and award the goal.
The bizarre decision sparked furious scenes at the final whistle as angry Distillery players and staff surrounded the officials in protest.
It denied the Whites a critical three points, with Scott Davidson’s 88th minute strike proving insufficient to claim victory for the league’s basement side.
Ultimately the referee will be the big talking point. In truth there was little else to note in a hugely disappointing tussle.
Apart from Harpur’s contentious equaliser, there was a debatable Distillery penalty which was given and missed by Michael Halliday and – more pertinently – another which wasn’t awarded.
All the controversy aside, however, this was a match to forget.
Distillery will undoubtedly be the more disappointed with the result, and not just the manner of conceding in the final few seconds.
They had the majority of chances, with Dungannon goalkeeper Niall Morgan making several important saves to keep them in the game.
Adding to the visitors’ woes was the fact that the two points snatched away in stoppage time meant they dropped to the foot of the table.
By contrast, this was an important result for Dungannon at the end of a tumultuous week which saw Rodney McAree resign as head coach.
Darren Murphy’s first selection in sole charge brought four changes, including a return for left-back Cameron Grieve after nearly two months out injured.
The best opportunity of a dismal first half came in the 26th minute when Distillery were twice thwarted by the crossbar. 
Good approach play between Gary Liggett and Jordan Forsythe created a chance for Davidson, however, his shot hit the bar and fell short of the line. Halliday picked up the loose ball but his header also came back off the woodwork.
Dungannon went close through Stephen O’Neill’s early header and Terry Fitzpatrick’s strike.
But their best chance came just before the break when O’Neill got his foot to another Fitzpatrick effort, however, the ‘keeper made a crucial block.
A frustrating opening 45 minutes improved little after half-time..
Distillery offered most of the limited attacking threat with Jordan Hughes drawing a save from Morgan while Liggett’s strike was deflected over.
Then the referee took centre stage with two crucial penalty calls – beginning with one which wasn’t given.
Hughes was taken down by the ‘keeper but his appeals were rejected – much to the anger of Whites boss Tim McCann on the touchline.
Minutes later, however, the referee did point to the spot when Fra Brennan was harshly penalised for hand ball.
Morgan came to Swifts’ rescue, however, brilliantly turning away Halliday’s spot kick before charging out to deny Davidson on the follow-up.
He then produced another impressive save to tip Johnny Harkness’s free-kick wide.
Fitzpatrick went close with a chipped effort after spotting the ‘keeper off his line, while at the other end Liggett’s low strike went just wide of the back post.
It seemed the Whites had snatched victory when Davidson scored, firing home on the half volley after David McCullough’s pass was turned into his path.
But Dungannon have a habit of scoring late goals this season – and did it again in the 93rdminute.
Fitzpatrick crossed to the back post towards Harpur, who was being held by Davidson. The foul was penalised – and then ignored – as the ball found the net.
DGN SWIFTS: Morgan, R O’Neill (Brennan, 45), Montgomery, McMinn, Grieve, Harpur, Topley (C Lavery, 75), S Lavery, Fitzpatrick, S O’Neill, Gawley (PJ Lavery, 64)
Subs not used: S Friars, Cahoon
LISBURN DISTILLERY: Brennan, Harkness, Simpson, McCullough, Davidson, McCann, Liggett, Halliday, Ferguson, Hughes (Beggs, 72), Forsythe
Subs not used: Windrum, Hunter, Hall, Koypt
Referee: Mervyn Smyth (Belfast)
Football can be a funny old game. It can also be very cruel.
