GREEN FOR GO, BLUES

Careless Swifts make it easy for champs

LACKLUSTRE Linfield took advantage of three sloppy moments from Dungannon Swifts to carve out a flattering win at Windsor Park yesterday.

The visitors arrived in south Belfast determined to play and looked comfortable early on only to come undone in unfortunate circumstances in the 16th minute.

Matthew Clarke had run into trouble on the edge of the Dungannon box but a defensive intervention ricocheted off the left-back’s arm and the ball dropped at his feet.

With the visitors appealing for a free-kick, Clarke’s clever touch created a yard of space and he despatched a peach of a finish with the outside of his left-boot past Niall Morgan and into the postage stamp.

Tyrone’s All-Ireland winning goalkeeper was left stranded again six minutes later as Jimmy Callacher planted a header towards that same top corner, only missing by a matter of inches.

The Swifts were relieved to get in at the break just one behind, however, after in-form Blues striker Christy Manzinga was denied first by an Oisin Smyth block and then by an alert fingertip save from Morgan.

Dean Shiels’ side looked eager to make the most of those narrow escapes early in the second half, taking the fight to the champions with some bold one-touch passing from front to back.

The pacey Darragh McBrien carried a threat throughout and just past the hour mark he burst past Clarke down the right only to thrash a shot over the bar from a tight angle.

Ryan Mayse also had a couple of pot-shots from outside the box, finding Johns’ midriff on both occasions as the Blues struggled to stem the tide.

When Mayse then tried his luck from fully 50 yards after spotting Johns off his line, the home fans let their feelings be known once the ball drifted wide, with their boos echoing loudly around the ground.

But for all Dungannon’s positive play, those jeers turned to cheers in the 81st minute when the champions put the game to bed.

The tireless Kirk Millar robbed Cahal McGinty close to goal before putting the ball on a plate for substitute Matt Green to smash home.

That duo combined again in the 86th minute to put a gloss on the scoreline but it was a moment Morgan will want to forget as he really shouldn’t have been beaten by Green’s acrobatic volley from Millar’s cross.

Harsh on the visitors, ruthless from the champions.