by DSFC Media | May 13, 2012 | Uncategorized
The Swifts management team have made a further two signings for the 2012/13 season at Stangmore Park. Winger Chris Lavery and midfielder Grant Hutchinson.
Twenty-one year old Chris Lavery joins the Swifts from IPL side Glenavon. Chris, A tricky left winger who can also play upfront, has bags of pace and great potential. He came through the reserve set up at Glenavon and was introduced to the first team by Marty Quinn where he showed plenty of early season promise. However, after suffering an injury he lost his place in the starting team. Chris made fifteen first team appearances at Mourneview Park for the Lurgan Blues, adding another fourteen from the bench, scoring six goals in total.
Grant Hutchinson who previously played for Ballinamallard prior to moving to Carrick at the start of last season, made a total of twenty-eight Carling Premiership league appearances.
Now twenty-two years old, Grant who was at Ballinmallard United from the age of six, after having progressed through the youth teams, winning the Harry Cavan Youth Cup along the way, made his first team debut at sixteen years of age. Like a few of our current and past players Grant has represented Northern Ireland at School boy level which included captaining the side against Australia in 2008.
Both Lavery and Hutchinson are still quite young and can bring a breath of fresh air to the current squad with their abundance of youth and talent between them.
Welcome to Dungannon Swifts Chris and Grant. We wish you both great success in your Swifts career.
by DSFC Media | May 6, 2012 | Uncategorized
The presentation of Groundsmen of the Year trophy’s were made by IFA President Jim Shaw at the Irish Cup Final.
The Winners were,
IFA Premiership: Roy Stretton of Dungannon Swifts.
Championship 1: Mervyn Nixon of Ballinamallard United.
Championship 2: Keith Berry PSNI
The overall winner was Mervyn Nixon of Ballinamallard United.
Congratulations to Roy and his team of helpers. Our pitch has been in immaculate condition this season.
Well done.
(Source: http://Swifts win best Premiership surface)
by DSFC Media | May 6, 2012 | Uncategorized
The Swifts’ management have got the ball rolling for the new season with the signing of Matt Hazley from Crusaders F.C.
24 year old midfielder Hazley, who has agreed a 12 month deal, will bring a wealth of quality to the Swifts team as he is a creative player with a superb left foot. Swifts fans may remember Matt from January of last season when he scored the winning goal for Crusaders at Stangmore Park. Matt is a former Stoke City player but has plenty of Irish League experience too having played for Newry City prior to his spell with Crusaders.
Murphy and McAree have stated there will be more movement to follow in what will be a busy summer for the Swifts in the transfer window.
We would like to take the opportunity to welcome Matt to the club and wish him all the best in a Swifts Shirt.
by DSFC Media | Apr 30, 2012 | Uncategorized
Dungannon Swifts will be playing in the Premiership again next season after their top flight status was finally secured at Mourneview Park.
A dramatic injury-time equaliser from Emmet Friars snatched the point needed to guarantee another campaign among the elite of Irish League football.
In the end, both Dungannon and Glenavon – who were also in danger of dropping down – could have lost the game and still survived.
Defeat for Lisburn Distillery against Ballymena United rendered this match meaningless, with the Whites finishing the campaign second bottom.
They will now play off against Newry City for a place in next season’s Premiership.
For Dungannon, however, it was a satisfying end to a turbulent 12 months at Stangmore Park.
This has been one of their toughest campaigns, marred by disappointing results on the pitch and three managerial changes in the dugout.
But with their cherished senior status secured, Rodney McAree and Darren Murphy can now get down to the serious business of planning for next season.
Inevitably players will move on – Craig McClean is set to sign for Crusaders – and next season will once again be a battle against the odds.
However, it will be a season spent in the Premiership rather than the Championship wilderness, and that was always the priority.
Swifts’ status had been in doubt right up until the final fixture of a long campaign.
And while there were various permutations which could save them, the equation was simple – avoid defeat at Glenavon to ensure survival.
Yet the afternoon started badly as Glenavon – who needed three points to guarantee their safety – charged into a fourth minute lead.
A long ball from Kyle Neill was cleared to the edge of the box and Brian McCaul took aim, although goalkeeper Niall Morgan will be unhappy that the strike slipped past him so easily.
News of an early goal for Distillery against Ballymena added to their woes.
But then Dungannon were handed – quite literally – the perfect chance to level when they were awarded a 20th minute penalty.
A hand ball by Ciaran Doherty was penalised, but Friars’ spot kick was blocked by the ‘keeper.
Dungannon did not let the setback affect them, however, and finished the half strongly.
Michael Ward fired over from a Stefan Lavery cut-back, while Lavery had an effort cleared off the line following a free-kick from Ryan Harpur.
Later Lavery just failed to get a touch on Johnny Topley’s inviting cross, while the ‘keeper made a good save from Ward’s close-range strike.
The momentum tilted back to Glenavon after the break and Neill twice went close from free-kicks, but both times he was denied by Morgan.
Another delivery from Neill caused havoc and, when the ball dropped to Tony Grant, his overhead kick was headed off the line by Johnny Montgomery.
The big news, however, was coming from the Distillery game, where Ballymena were now leading 2-1. If that stayed the same, both Dungannon and Glenavon would be safe.
And it seemed the Co Tyrone side would be reliant on that result when they conceded a second goal in the 68th minute.
Michael McKerr tripped Ryan Henderson in the box, and McCaul converted the resulting penalty.
Dungannon needed a response – and they got it.
Within five minutes a speculative 30-yard effort from Terry Fitzpatrick took a wicked deflection off Jay Magee, looping over the stranded ‘keeper.
A third Ballymena goal at Distillery meant the pressure was now off – whatever happened Dungannon would be staying up.
But they ensured a positive end to a difficult season with a late, late equaliser. A throw was flicked on by Adam McMinn, and Friars fired home from close range.
GLENAVON: Coleman, Shannon, Neill, Jay Magee, Jonny Magee, Henderson, Doherty, Hagan (Miskimmin, 63), Doherty, Hamilton, Grant
Subs not used: Gordon, Cherry, Mitchell, O’Hare
DGN SWIFTS: Morgan, O’Neill, Montgomery, E Friars, McClean, McKerr, Harpur, Fitzpatrick, Topley, Ward (Brolly, 72, McMinn 88), S Lavery
Subs: Murphy, Funston, Donnelly.
Referee: Raymond Crangle (Belfast)
