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Linfield’s quality was too much for championship side Dundela as a first senior hat-trick for Niall Quinn helped send David Healy’s team through to the semi-finals of the County Antrim Shield with a comfortable win over Dundela at Windsor Park.

Dundela’s gameplan presumably would have been to stay in the game and frustrate Linfield, but that approach was made much more difficult when David Healy’s men took the lead after seven minutes. Duns midfielder Eoin Kane – who scored the winner for Ballymena United against Linfield in the 2015/16 County Antrim Shield final – made a costly mistake as his backpass was loose and seized upon by Andrew Clarke before the summer signing from Crusaders showed good composure to round the goalkeeper and dispatch the ball into the empty net for his first Linfield goal.

A neat Linfield move after 20 minutes almost brought a second goal. Martin Donnelly played a brilliant precise pass out left to Ahmed Salam who crossed low towards Andrew Clarke who just couldn’t quite get the ball into his stride to hit it. Soon after, Niall Quinn headed wide from a cross by Salam which was stood up to the back post area.

18 year-old midfielder Joshua Archer impressed once again for the Blues and he was unfortunate not to get himself on the score-sheet. It looked like he would when Martin Donnelly’s low cross into the box found its way through to the advancing midfielder but he was only denied at close range by a superb block by Eoin Kane.

A Billy Chadwick cross flashed just wide and Martin Donnelly also went close when he was unlucky to see his header from Niall Quinn’s cross land on the roof of the net as Linfield pressed for a second goal before the break.

Half Time: Linfield 1 – 0 Dundela

The Blues turned up the tempo in the second half and in familiar fashion of late they hit a blistering spell in front of goal with three goals in ten minutes. Niall Quinn started the flurry of goals as he put Linfield two up on 52 minutes. It was a classy finish to match a good move as the ball was switched to Jamie Mulgrew who burst inside off the wing and teed up Quinn who calmly slotted the ball low into the far corner with finesse.

Three minutes later Linfield added a third goal as Andrew Clarke typically wouldn’t give up and he got his rewards for persistence in the box as he robbed a Dundela defender of possession inside the box and unselfishly squared the ball across goal for Ahmed Salam who was well placed to tuck away his first Linfield goal.

Another five minutes later Hull City loanee Salam then turned provider as he put in a pinpoint cross from the left wing for Niall Quinn to head past the goalkeeper from around 12 yards out.

The goal of the night fittingly came from captain for the night Jimmy Callacher who was making his 300th appearance for Linfield. A cross landed for the defender who was 20 yards out and he showed great technique to thunder in a left-footed volley to make it 5-0.

Dundela managed to pull one back and it was also a fine goal. It proved to be a night to remember for their young 16 year-old substitute striker Rhys Annett who netted a superb finish, receiving the ball after a Linfield defender slipped and from just inside the box he curled a beauty into the top corner.

After a number of missed Linfield chances, the Blues did net a sixth before time was up as Niall Quinn completed his first ever hat-trick. Playing in midfield, Quinn retrieved the ball after 16 year-old striker Callum Marshall was denied by a good save as he went through on goal. Quinn still had a lot of work to do and he displayed dazzling quick feet as he dribbled around the box, past the goalkeeper and fired a shot past a man on the line to round of a good display from himself and the team.

It was a strong Linfield performance against a Dundela team which possessed stacks of Irish League experience and David Healy will take a number of positives from it, including more gametime for a number of players and the impressive performances of his young guns. The Blues are aiming for a 44th Shield success and will be joined in the semi-finals by Cliftonville, Larne, and the winner between Crusaders and Ballyclare Comrades.

Full Time: Linfield 6 – 1 Dundela

LinfieldFC.com Man of the Match: Joshua Archer

Match Images

1. David Healy : A lot of positives to take tonight