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Linfield 4 - 0 Dungannon Swifts

The Blues took the lead after just three minutes and the goal was scored in freak fashion. Andrew Ferguson attempted to clear the ball from just inside his own box but the ball cannoned off Billy Joe Burns and past the despairing dive of Alvin Rouse. A great start for Linfield but a bit of bad luck for Dungannon and the former Linfield Swifts player.

It was 2-0 just three minutes later when Curtis Allen crossed from the left and Peter Thompson, who was unmarked in the centre, opened up his body and volleyed home, right footed from 6 yards.

Ryan McIlmoyle had a chance to pull a goal back for Dungannon on nine minutes but his weak shot was deflected behind for a corner by Billy Joe Burns. From the resulting corner, the ball broke outside the box to Neil McCafferty, but his shot from 20 yards was well saved by Alan Blayney at his bottom right hand post.

Jimmy Callacher, who is on loan from Glentoran, headed over when well placed on 20 minutes following Neil McCafferty's deep cross from the left.

Referee Adrian McCourt pointed to the spot on 25 minutes following an alleged hand ball from Craig McClean. Up stepped JP Gallagher to take the spot kick and to try and put the tie beyond doubt but Alvin Rouse, who had been booked following his protestations, made an outstanding save to his right to push the ball behind the post.

Protests

The heat was turned up on this already lively encounter when on 27 minutes, Robert Garrett brought down Michael Ward inside the box. The Dungannon players were adamant that they should have been awarded a penalty, but referee McCourt pointed for just a corner.

In the protests that followed, Neil McCafferty received a straight red card for something he said to the referee and Dixie Robinson also received his marching orders for his touchline annoyance.

It was three for Linfield on 31 minutes. A long throw from the right from Billy Joe Burns was flicked on by Thompson, and the on-fire Curtis Allen reacted quickly to hook the ball over his head and into the back of the Dungannon net, past the helpless Alvin Rouse.

It could have been a lot worse for the Co. Tyrone side on the 34 minute mark. Curtis Allen and Peter Thompson combined well again and it was the latter whose shot from a tight angle went just over the bar.

Adrian McCourt brandished his second red card of the afternoon, this time to Billy Joe Burns for his second bookable offence. The first of the two yellow cards was for an innocuous looking foul on Ryan McIlmoyle on 16 minutes, and the second was for kicking the ball away.

The first chance of the second half came on 68 minutes when Robert Garrett cut inside from the left of the box and drilled a low shot straight at Alvin Rouse. In truth, the Linfield midfielder probably should have worked the keeper more as it was an easy save for the big Barbados International.

Dungannon should have pulled a goal back on 74 minutes when he headed against the crossbar from close range following a corner from the right.

It just hadn't been Dungannon's day and on 85 minutes, Michael Ward received his second yellow card for hauling down Robert Garrett - a warranted decision from card-happy referee McCourt and something to wake up both sets of supporters following a drab second half.

Linfield got their second penalty of the afternoon in the 83rd minute. Substitute Alain Emerson brought down Curtis Allen inside the box and up stepped Jim Ervin to drill the ball home into the bottom left hand corner.

Michael Gault missed an excellent opportunity to make it five nil on 89 minutes. Peter Thompson hooked the ball over from the right and with Rouse stranded, Gault could only place his header over the crossbar.

So it wasn't to be another five nil win for Linfield but it was a comprehensive and professional win from David Jeffrey's side.

Linfield: Blayney, Douglas (Bailie 68'), Murphy, Curran (Gault 57'), Lowry (Ervin 46'), Thompson, BJ Burns, Allen, Garrett, Mulgrew, Gallagher.
Subs: Gault, Bailie, O'Kane, , McAllister.

Dungannon Swifts: Rouse, Mullan (McAlliskey 46'), Montgomery (Coney 64'), Ferguson, McClean (Emerson 52'), Ward, McIlmoyle, Morgan, Adamson, McCafferty, Callacher.
Subs: Murphy, Coney, Emerson, Forker.

© UTV News