Swifts suffer late against Linfield
Wednesday, 19 November 2008
Dungannon Swifts 1. Linfield 4.
CO-OPERATIVE Insurance Cup holders Linfield progressed to the next round in dramatic fashion following their second leg win at Stangmore Park.
Approaching injury time at the end of the game, the Swifts were still going through but two late strikes from the blues levelled the aggregate score. And with away goals counting double when the scores are tied, Linfield progressed.
Dungannon had led 3-0 from the first leg at Windsor Park, a scoreline which ensured they were favourites to go into the quarter-finals and when Mark McAllister netted with less than 30 minutes remaining to make it 2-1, hopes were high that Dungannon would be in the hat for the next round.
With a little over half an hour played, Linfield had taken control of the tie, scoring twice in a minute to give them the platform they needed to mount a serious challenge.
They went ahead from the penalty spot after Swifts 'keeper Dwayne Nelson was adjudged to have felled Michael Carvill. Nelson was shown a yellow card for the offence and could do little to prevent Glenn Ferguson's penalty strike hitting the back of the net.
And it was Carvill that doubled their advantage within a minute, shooting low and off the post.
Dungannon improved in the second period and got the goal through Mark McAllister but was to prove insufficient as the blues came battling back.
First substitute John Martin struck the woodwork while Munster came close with his 77th minute strike.
Their third goal came with just a minute left to play in normal time, Munster netting from Paul McAreavey's pass.
And then came the killer blow for Dungannon with Linfield veteran Glenn Ferguson volleying home three minutes into injury time to turn the tie around.
Dungannon Swifts: Nelson, Mullan, Montgomery, McMinn, Gallagher, Hegarty, Fitzpatrick, Murphy (McGerrigan 71), McCann, Adamson (Tomelty 88), McAllister and (McManus 80).
Linfield: Mannus, Douglas, Curran, Ferguson, Carville, Bailie, Lindsay (McAreavey 80), Miskimmin, (Munster 43), O'Kane, Garrett (Martin 67) and Mulgrew.
Referee: Hugh Carville (Belfast).
