Published Saturday, 27 February 2010
Dungannon Swifts 2 - 0 Glentoran
The talking point was that opening score, referee Trevor Moutray awarding the spot-kick for a handball but Glentoran insisting that the offence had been committed by Chris Morgan, the home striker.
However, after the match the home camp claimed that, while Morgan may have handled the ball, it was Glens player Sean Ward who had made the first contact with his arm.
Whatever about all of that, McCafferty put Swifts in front with thirteen minutes remaining, thus compensating for failing from the spot in first half stoppage time.
And The Glens' fate was sealed when McCaffrey fired home the second goal three minutes later.
Glentoran started on top with star striker Gary Hamilton serving an early warning to their hosts on seven minutes when he had a shot scooped behind at the right post by Adam McMinn.
Swifts had a rare attack on eleven minutes when Shane Coney got in on goal but failed to find the target with his effort, while a corner from Ryan McIlmoyle was disappointingly headed over unchallenged by Michael Ward.
The Glens then upped the tempo. A couple of chances for Keith Gillespie should have seen the visitors take the lead but a save from Alvin Rouse and a well timed intervention from Dermot McCaffrey kept the game scoreless.
Jason Hill flashed an effort across the Dungannon goal face on 20 minutes and Colin Nixon headed straight at Alvin Rouse.
After Ryan McIlmoyle sent a tantalising free just over the bar, a super Gillespie shot was deflected behind by McCaffrey.
Seconds short of the break, Gillespie was once more denied by the expertise of Rouse and then came the dramatic end to the first half, Shane Coney fouled by Jonny Taylor, who was sent off and saw a penalty awarded. But the sting in the tale came with McCafferty's shot from the spot brilliantly saved by Elliot Morris who also parried Craig McClean's follow-up effort.
Swifts had most of the second period possession and the pressure on Glentoran's ten-men told on 78 minutes, McCafferty this time beating Morris.
And two minutes later when a shot from McIlmoyle was cleared by the head of Sean Ward before former Falkirk and Hibs defender McCaffrey rifled the ball to the top corner.
"I don't know if that is our title chances over as the top six have to play each other. This game gave us an opportunity to put some distance between ourselves and other teams who weren't playing and it's disappointing not to do that" said Glens boss Alan McDonald.
Dungannon Swifts - Rouse, Mullan, McMinn, McCaffrey, McClean, Emerson, McCafferty, Coney, Ward, Morgan, McIlmoyle. Subs - Forker for Morgan 88, McAliskey, Ferguson, McCann for Ward 66, Montgomery for Coney 56
Glentoran - Morris, Nixon, Clarke, Leeman, Fordyce, Halliday, Hamilton, Fitzgerald, Taylor, Hill, Gillespie. Subs - James Taylor, Neill for Hill 50, Ward for Fitzgerald 46,
Waterworth, Burrows for Hamilton 72
Referee - Trevor Moutray, Dundonald