Cliftonville Vs Dungannon Swifts Winner Set For Linfield Final

Cliftonville vs Dungannon Swifts had a simple prize attached: the winner would move on to face Linfield in the European play-off final. The Irish Premiership semi-final was played at Solitude on 12 May at 18:00 BST, with Cliftonville looking to turn a late-season win over Linfield into another step forward.

Solitude Sets The Path

Jim Magilton named the same starting XI that had won at Windsor Park, keeping faith with the side that finished Cliftonville’s league programme with a victory at Linfield a fortnight earlier. That continuity left the home side with a settled look as the stakes rose.

Rodney McAree made one change from Dungannon Swifts’ midweek win over Carrick Rangers. Peter Maguire replaced Caolan Marron in defence, a switch that kept the back line fresh after a run that had already included an Irish Cup final and the opening round of the European play-offs in the previous two weeks.

Paul Doyle And Corey Smith

Paul Doyle tested PJ Morrison from range early on, and the Cliftonville keeper got a warm-up he did not need to work hard for. Corey Smith then forced the sharper intervention of the opening exchanges when his shot was awkwardly cleared from under Shaun Leppard’s own crossbar.

That sequence kept the match tight and stopped either side from settling too comfortably. Cliftonville responded through Josh Kelly, whose effort from distance went well over the crossbar, before Ryan Curran created a better chance by nicking the ball past Declan Dunne after the goalkeeper had raced from his area to chase a long ball.

Curran And Morrison

Curran’s touch opened the door, but Danny Wallace cleared the danger before Cliftonville could finish the move. Dungannon then had another controlled moment when Smith delivered a corner and Morrison confidently plucked it out of the air.

Liam McStravick also needed treatment after an early break in play, another small interruption in a match where the margins stayed thin. Christopher Morrison handled the semi-final at Solitude, with both sides chasing the same outcome: the right to return on Tuesday, 12 May at 19:45 BST for the final against Linfield.