CLEARWATER NI IRISH CUP
Dungannon Swifts 1
Cliftonville 1
(Swifts win 4-3 on Penalties)
At Windsor Park
CLIFTONVILLE’s hopes of making it to a third successive Irish Cup final were dashed on Friday evening as they suffered a 4-3 shoot-out defeat to Dungannon Swifts in the Clearer Water Irish Cup Final at Windsor Park.
Both sides were unable to make the breakthrough in the opening 90 minutes as the drama was saved for extra time.
Kealon Dillon swept the holders in front in the 98th minute and it looked to be enough to send his side into the May 2nd decider, only for Cliftonville to hit back with the last roll of the dice when Keevan Hawthorne’s corner was helped home by Joe Sheridan to ensure a shoot-out was required like last season's Cup Final.
The first six-penalties were picture perfect with Declan Dunne denying Joe Sheridan to give his side the advantage, and with Sean McAllister converting to edge his side ahead the pressure fell onto the shoulders of Harry Wilson who rolled the fifth spot kick wide and Dungannon were able to celebrate reaching a second successive decider.
Reds boss Jim Magilton acknowledged it was a tough evening to lose out on penalties, but credited his side for their never say attitude that saw them force the shoot-out.
“It’s a tough night, losing on penalties is always tough in a semi final” Magilton reflected.
“It’s a hard one to bear, but I have to credit the lads – they kept going and going in extra time. I thought in the first half we created really good opportunities, we weren’t clinical enough and on our heels.
“In the second half, I thought they [Dungannon] played well. They carved us open a few times, created one or two really good opportunities. They scored a goal – we switched off at the edge of the box.
“It is a Hail Mary at the end, we kept going and it is the one thing we take away from tonight. We had to keep going, we did. We get one in the last dying seconds of the game. We took it to penalties and then their penalties were better than ours."
Magilton made three changes from the side that were defeated 2-0 at Larne last weekend.
Two came in defence with Shaun Leppard and Luke Conlon returning after injuries, whilst Rory Hale returned after suspension, as Conor Pepper, Ryan Curran and Aidan Kelly dropped to the bench.
Cliftonville started brightly with Joe Toole’s cross evading Brian Healy. Micheál Glynn picked up the loose ball and swung in a shot that ex-team mate Shea Gordon blocked.
Gael Bigirimana let fly with a 30-yard drive that PJ Morrison comfortably gathered in the Swifts first sighting.
Midway through the first half Jonny Addis curled a free kick around the Swifts wall, but into the side netting.
Then approaching the half hour mark Rory Hale slipped a fine through pass that Brian Healy latched onto, though Danny Wallace tracked the striker's run and got a foot in before he could pull the trigger at the expense of a corner, which came to nothing.
At the other end a Leo Alves free kick from range ricocheted into the wall and behind for a corner. Again it came to nothing however as the half ended scoreless between last season's cup finalists.
Dungannon forced the first corner of the second period, though Shaun Leppard met Kealan Dillon’s delivery at the front post.
Rory Hale ran onto a slipped pass and his attempted cut back was deflected behind off Gael Bigirimana for a corner, that didn’t carry a threat,
The Swifts had a huge chance to hit the front when a perfectly weighted Adam Glenny pass ran through to Shea Gordon whose shot was blocked by PJ Morrison, who made himself big.
The semi final was on a knife-edge and delicately balanced as Cliftonville were next to threaten.
Rory Hale fed the ball across to Liam McStravick, and the winger failed to generate enough power to seriously threaten Declan Dunne.
Substitute Joe Sheridan clipped a through ball that Healy chased down, but he shot early and scuffed wide.
Swifts missed a gilt-edged chance to break the deadlock in the 86th minute. Andrew Mitchell chested Sean McAllister’s pass into the path of Gordon whose shot was kept out with Mitchell glancing the loose ball towards the empty net, just scaling the target.
Neither side could make the breakthrough before the 90-minutes and additional time was up as extra time was required.
Dungannon started extra time on the front foot and opened the scoring in the 98th minute. Andrew Mitchell’s cut back from the byline was allowed to run through and Kealan Dillon swept a shot beyond the reach of PJ Morrison to make it 1-0.
The Swifts stood resolute defensively with Cathal McGinty diverting a low Keevan Hawthorne cross behind for a corner in the most threatening response from Cliftonville.
At the other end the holders could have extended their lead when Sean McAllister drove forward and slipped the ball into Andrew Mitchell whose low shot was into the side netting.
It looked as though Dungannon would hold out but with the last throw of the dice, Cliftonville forced a shoot-out.
Keevan Hawthorne dropped a corner into the crowded area and Joe Sheridan appeared to get the telling touch to force it in off the post and force penalties.
Both sides converted their first three spot-kicks with Declan Dunne the first to prevail, saving from Joe Sheridan.
The advantage was pressed home by a successful Sean McAllister effort that ensured that Harry Wilson needed to score to keep his side in touch, though he rolled his attempt past the post and the Swifts celebrated reaching the final once again.
CLIFTONVILLE: PJ Morrison, Toole, Addis (A Kelly 91’), Leppard, Conlon (Pepper 106’), Wilson, Hale, J Kelly (Curran 90’), Glynn (Hawthorne 58’), McStravick (Sheridan 80’), Healy (Gormley 90’).
DUNGANNON SWIFTS: Dunne, Kelly (McAllister 71’), Dillon, Alves (Knowles 105’), Glenny, Gordon (Marron 105’), McGinty, Doyle, Wallace, Moore (Mitchell 81’), Bigirimana.
REFEREE: Christopher Morrison
