Dungannon Swifts were defeated 1-0 by Linfield following a superb Kyle McClean strike with ten minutes to go in a hard-fought and tight encounter at Stangmore Park.
Rodney McAree’s team had three changes from last Saturdays 2-0 away victory over Limavady United. Cahal McGinty, Leo Alves and Gaël Bigirimana were replaced by Danny Wallace, Jamie Glackin and Tiernan Kelly, with Paul Doyle taking the captain’s armband.
The teams largely cancelled each other out in the opening stages of the game, but within a minute of each other, the Swifts had two glorious opportunities to open the scoring.
First, after some good build up play, Jamie Glackin played a through ball to Junior, who took the ball around the goalkeeper, only for his effort to be cleared off the line by Issac Baird, denying what looked to be a certain goal.
Sean McAllister had a shot from a similar area soon after, but it was well stopped by Johns in the Linfield goal this time.
The home side came extremely close once again on nineteen minutes. A free kick on the right side of the pitch was cleared out for a Dungannon Swifts corner. The delivery ended at the feet of Junior, but his shot hit both the post and the Linfield goalkeeper and the game somehow remained goalless.
After this, Linfield grew into the game more as they created some half-chances, but the Swifts were again inches away from taking the lead just after the half-hour mark. A loose cross from the right fell to Junior, who made a pass which Jamie Glackin cleverly left for Paul Doyle, but his shot was very impressively saved by Chris Johns in the top left corner.
Just before half time, Linfield also came close to scoring on two occasions. First, Adam Frizzell’s corner to the back post found Issac Baird, whose header went over the bar. In stoppage time, Kirk Millar’s free kick then sailed past everyone in the box and stuck the post, whilst Kobei Moore’s acrobatic effort from the rebound was gathered up and cleared by the home side.
The Blues started the second half the way they left off the first, creating the first big chance. Dane McCullough’s cross found Kyle McClean in the box, but his first-time effort went wide of the post.
There were two chances at either end after this. The ball was played past John Scott first, leaving room for Rhys Brennan to cross. His low delivery found the feet of substitute Kieran Offord, and after taking it past McKeown, his shot was exceptionally saved by Declan Dunne from point blank range.
The Swifts broke from this, leaving the ball with Sean McAllister. The winger managed to get past the Linfield defender, and penalty shouts followed after he appeared to be tripped. The referee deemed McAllister to have dived and booked him.
The all-important goal came shortly after. Dylan Wells dribbled down the wing before passing to Kyle McClean just inside the box. The Linfield number eight curled a great effort right into the far top corner, leaving Dunne with no chance and giving the away side the lead.
The Swifts just couldn’t find a way through the resolute Linfield back-line in the remaining time, with Louise Thompson blowing her whistle after to signal a 1-0 defeat.
After the game, Rodney McAree said: “Whenever you get opportunities, particularly against the full-time teams, you have to take them. If you don’t take them, ultimately they’ll end up coming back and biting you and that’s exactly what has happened today.
“We played some good stuff in the first half, and created some good opportunities. Chris Johns makes a few good saves and you’re very pleased, but the only thing that is missing at half-time is a goal or two.
“When we came out in the second half I don’t think we showed the same calmness. We don’t show the same composure, we give the ball away and we invite pressure on us.
“Decky makes a fantastic save and Adam Frizzell has a a shot just wide of the post, but outside of that I didn’t overly feel as if we were massively under pressure and it’s a fantastic strike from Kyle McClean that ultimately won it.
“But looking at the goal as well, I think we can restrict the space whenever he receives the ball, we can close that space down, we can make it a wee bit more difficult for him, and we haven’t done that, so we have to live and learn and and move on.”
Up next for the Swifts is an away game at Seaview against Crusaders on Tuesday night with a 19:45 kick off.
Dungannon Swifts: Dunne (GK), J. Scott, McKeown, Kelly, Dillon, Gordon (Lowe 85’), Glackin (Smith 85’), Doyle (C) (McGinty 90+1’), Wallace, Junior (Mitchell 77’), McAllister (Alves 77’).
Unused Substitutes: Henderson (GK), Johnston.
Linfield: Johns (GK), Shields (C), Millar (Wells 48’), McClean, Frizzell, Nelson (Brennan 65’), Hall, Baird, McGee, Moore (Offord 65’), McCullough.
Unused Substitutes: Glavin (GK), Brown, Annett, Chapman.
Referee: Louise Thompson
