Swifts beat Reds on penalties to win first Irish Cup

After defeating Cliftonville in the final at Windsor Park, the 10-man Dungannon Swifts won their first Irish Cup championship 4-3 on penalties.

Steven Scott was sent off for two yellow card offenses before Rodney McAree’s side took the lead in the first half with John McGovern leading the Swifts.

After the game was 1-1, Kearney and Luke Conlan both missed their spot kicks to give Dungannon a historic victory. Shea Kearney scored an injury-time equalizer for the Reds to force extra time.

The Swifts’ success in the Irish Cup marks the start of a remarkable season, which included finishing fourth in the Irish Premiership this year. They will now have a European campaign in store for the following year.

For manager McAree, who was a player and played for the Dungannon team that lost to Linfield in the Irish Cup final in 2007, the experience will be especially sweet.

Shea Gordon fired over the crossbar from outside the box to give Cliftonville the lead in the seventh minute.

After a diligent free-kick routine, Ryan Curran wasted a veritable chance on 20 minutes.

Luke Conlan, who later found Curran, played it short to Gordon, but his swing on the swivel rolled wide.

The Swifts scored the opener four minutes later when McGovern beat Reds goalkeeper David Odumosu with a header from James Knowles’ corner.

Moments later, as Magilton’s side searched for a quick response, Joe Gormley shot over the crossbar.

Andrew Mitchell and Leo Alves both had good work down the left, and the chances continued to be there at both ends.

After the restart, the Swifts continued to threaten from set pieces, with Dean Curry launching a header wide from another Knowles’ delivery.

Before Scott was dismissed, substitute Alex Parsons glanced wide from Conlan’s cross before there was much controversy.

After being booked in the first half, Scott was shown a second yellow card for a foul on Rory Hale, despite the Reds skipper’s lack of contact.

Cliftonville threw caution to the wind in their search for an equalizer when they had the advantage of having a man advantage.

Conlan came closest when Hale’s corner fell to him in the box, but Conlan’s header soared off the crossbar before Declan Dunne was forced into a fine reflex save in injury time by Axel Piesold.

The ball eventually fell to Kearney outside the box after the resulting corner, and the Swifts youth player savagely fired a stunning strike into the bottom corner to add extra time.

As the Reds pressed in vain for a winner in extra time, Dunne denied Odhran Casey and Hale before Gael Bigirimana cleared Eric McWoods’ goal-bound effort off the line.

Kearney, who came in first for the Reds, missed while Conlan saved his fourth penalty from Dunne in the shootout.