NIFL Premiership

Dungannon Swifts 1–4 Cliftonville

JOE GORMLEY bagged a hat-trick as Cliftonville came from behind to register their fourth league win on the spin with a 4-1 win over Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park on Saturday afternoon. 

Gael Bigirimana’s deflected strike had the hosts ahead for a mere 60 seconds before Gormley headed home a leveller. 

They hit the front through a curling effort from Taylor Steven before Gormley doubled his account from the spot in first-half added time. 

Gormley glanced home with little over a quarter of an hour remaining to secure all three points, much to the delight of boss Jim Magilton who praised their quick response to going behind. 

“It was an important time to score,” he insisted. 

“Sometimes, once the opposition scores and you leave it, it can get a little bit nervy. I thought the goal was a really good goal, well created. We had one or two and Arran Pettifer probably should have scored before that. To come here and play in the manner in which we played and to get four goals is huge for us.”

Magilton made one enforced change from the side that defeated Crusaders last Friday evening as illness saw Ronan Doherty drop out, with Conor Pepper returning after suspension. 

Cliftonville were first to threaten when Luke Conlon slipped a pass to Joe Gormley and his pop at target was well held by Declan Dunne in the Swifts goal. 

At the other end, James Knowles dropped in a corner that Adam Glenny glanced wide of the post.  

Danny Wallace struck a volley from outside of the box that Michael Newberry diverted behind at the expense of a corner and the Swifts made the breakthrough in the 21st minute. 

Nice footwork from Kaelan Dillon saw him weave his way towards goal on the by-line and his cutback found James Knowles whose shot was blocked by Conor Pepper and Gael Bigirimana saw his follow-up deflect off Pepper and in to make it 1-0. 

The Swifts advantage lasted for less than 60 seconds, however, as Cliftonville hit back rapidly. Taylor Steven crossed from the right channel and Joe Gormley’s downward header left Dunne flat-footed as it went low to the corner for his eighth goal of the campaign. 

Dungannon felt they should have been awarded a penalty just shy of the half-hour mark after Andrew Mitchell caught Michael Newberry in possession and took a tumble under his challenge, but referee Jamie Robinson was uninterested in the subsequent shouts. 

Swifts’ goalkeeper Dunne made a magnificent close-range save to deny Arran Pettifer from a magnificent Gormley dink, but he was unable to prevent Taylor Steven from scoring from the resulting corner. 

Rory Hale opted to go short to Taylor Steven for the corner and the on-loan St Johnstone attacker held off the attention of Gael Bigirimana and curled a low shot into the corner to make it 2-1. 

Cliftonville extended their lead in first-half injury time. Arran Pettifer slipped a ball through to Rory Hale and he was clipped by the onrushing Dunne with referee Robinson pointing to the spot. 

Scorer of the equaliser, Gormley seized responsibility and sent Dunne the wrong way to double his tally for the afternoon and the Reds’ advantage at the break.  

Gormley finds the net
2Gallery

Gormley finds the net

Dungannon Swifts should have pulled a goal back after the interval when Cahal McGinty played in James Knowles, but Jonny Addis made a brave diving block. 

Joe Gormley had the chance to claim his hat-trick after racing onto a long ball and rounding Dunne, though he skewed his shot wide with Rory Hale open in the centre, much to the frustration of his manager. 

The visitors took the sting out of a frantic opening and didn’t force the next opportunity until midway through the half when Arran Pettifer’s dink forced Declan Dunne to turn the dipping effort behind for a corner. 

Eventually, they sealed all three points and Gormley claimed the match ball in the 72nd minute. 

Rory Hale delivered an inch-perfect cross from the right and the 34-year-old glanced past Dunne from close range to make it ten league goals for the season and ensure his side chalked up their fourth straight league win. 

DUNGANNON SWIFTS: Dunne, Scott, Knowles (Hutchinson 79’), McGovern (Maguire 62’), Dillon (Galvin 71’), Boyd (Alves 61’), Glenny, McGinty (King 79’), Wallace, Mitchell, Bigirimana. 

CLIFTONVILLE: Odumosu, Kearney, Newberry, Addis, Conlon, Pettifer (Curran 70’), Pepper, Hale (Piesold 82’), Glynn (Donnelly 76’), Steven (Corrigan 76’), Gormley (Markey 76’). 

REFEREE: Jamie Robinson