NIFL Premiership

Cliftonville 0-2 Dungannon Swifts 

CLIFTONVILLE suffered a cup final hangover, which has dented their top-six hopes after crashing to a 2-0 defeat at home to Dungannon Swifts at Solitude on Wednesday evening. 

A James Knowles free-kick gave the Swifts the lead after the break, and John McGovern doubled their advantage after the hour mark in a result that surely guarantees the Tyrone side their place in the top half come the split, with the Reds own hopes in serious jeopardy. 

Reds boss Jim Magilton was dismissed in the second half and in his absence, assistant manager Gerard Lyttle felt their side rued the missed chances from a positive first-half showing. 

“Of course we’re disappointed, we don't like losing,” said Lyttle. 

“Sunday was a great day, but it’s gone and it’s now focusing on the league and the next match. 

“I thought we were really good in the first half, some of our play was as good as I've seen. We started the game really fast. 

“I thought our energy was good; I thought our general play around the box and the build-up and the only thing that was missing was putting the ball in the net. 

“We said that when you get onto that many chances, you always have the fear of not taking your chances and the other team coming and punishing you. I think that was the case tonight - we’ve been done with two set plays.”

Magilton made four changes to the side that started Sunday's League Cup final, as match-winner Joe Gormley was rewarded with a start, while Ryan Corrigan, Micheal Glynn and Axel Piesold also came into the starting XI. 

Cliftonville were first to threaten in an entertaining opening half as Joe Gormley’s close-range shot was kept out and Shea Keaney skied his follow-up attempt after it was recycled. 

Ryan Corrigan had a shot kept out by Alex Henderson,and at the other end, former Cliftonville attacker Thomas Maguire arrowed an effort inches over the bar. 

Another former Red, James Knowles could only clear the ball as far as Micheál Glynn, whose snapshot was held by Henderson. 

The Swifts thought they had made the breakthrough after 27 minutes when John McGovern’s flick-on fell to Tomas Galvin, and the striker turned an angled shot into the net, but the offside flag curtailed the celebrations. 

Rory Hale and Micheál Glynn went close before the break, with Odhran Casey having to block a Maguire shot as the sides went in goalless at the interval. 

An early Ryan Corrigan shot was blocked by Bigirimana after the break before the deadlock was broken in the 52nd minute. 

A foul outside the Cliftonville box gave James Knowles the opportunity and he expertly curled a free kick over the wall and beyond the reach of Lewis Ridd. 

It was a lead they would double after the hour mark and it came from another set-piece as John McGovern rose to glance in Leo Alves's corner. 

Cliftonville huffed and puffed in truth and didn’t test Henderson in the Dungannon goal as Rodney McAree’s side comfortably saw the game out and claimed their first win over the Reds this season. 

CLIFTONVILLE: Ridd, Casey, Addis (McWoods 65’), Keaney, Kearney, Wilson (Pettifer 79’), Hale, Piesold, Glynn (Stewart 79’), Corrigan (Curran 65’), Gormley (Parsons 65’). 

DUNGANNON SWIFTS: Henderson, Scott, Marron, Knowles, McGovern, Alves (Hutchinson 77’), Glenny, Galvin (Boyd 71’), Maguire (Bermingham 71’), Wallace, Bigirimana. 

REFEREE: Steven Gregg