Linfield
Dungannon Swifts
Match Details
Date :
17th December 2022
Competition :
Irish Premier League
Linfield Scorers :
Chris McKee 6', Eetu Vertainen 33', Cammy Palmer 49', Liam McStravick 90+2'
Dungannon Swifts Yellow Cards :
Ryan Mayse, Michael Ruddy
Dungannon Swifts Red Card :
Caolan Marron 89'
Teams
Linfield Team :
Chris Johns (GK), Conor Pepper, Jimmy Callacher, Sam Roscoe, Matthew Clarke , Chris Shields, Jamie Mulgrew © (Kyle McClean 66’), Cameron Palmer, Joel Cooper (Liam McStravick 66’), Chris McKee (Jordan Stewart 77’), Eetu Vertainen (Ethan Devine 77’)
Linfield Subs not used :
David Walsh (GK), Michael Newberry, Daniel Finlayson
Dungannon Swifts Team :
Declan Dunne (GK), Ethan McGee (Cahal McGinty 70’), Mayowa Animashun, Caolan Marron, Michael Ruddy, James Knowles, Ryan Mayse © (Padraig Lynch 77'), Gerardo Bruna (Steven Scott 58’), Marc Walsh, Rhyss Campbell (Ben Cushnie 70’), Michael O’Connor (Ben Gallagher 45’)
Report
Linfield’s final home match and penultimate league fixture of 2022 brought a comfortable 4-0 win over Dungannon Swifts at Windsor Park on a day when legendary captain Jamie Mulgrew made his 700th appearance for the Club.
It was one of only two matches to survive the big freeze, along with Cliftonville’s match against Portadown at Solitude, and the Blues took advantage of their rivals’ inactivity by picking up three points which puts them within five points of league-leaders Larne.
Linfield had a penalty appeal waved away within 90 seconds when Joel Cooper burst past two Dungannon Swifts defenders before then going down from a challenge from opposing midfielder James Knowles.
The Blues soon got over it as they took an early lead with six minutes on the clock. It was an excellently-constructed, precise move as Cammy Palmer zipped a threaded pass into Eetu Vertainen who timed his run brilliantly beyond the Swifts’ backline and he showed quality to drill in a low cross into Chris McKee in the middle as the young striker made it two goals in two matches with a left-footed finish from close range.
David Healy’s men had another penalty appeal waved away after around twenty minutes when Jamie Mulgrew’s excellent pinpoint pass found Conor Pepper bursting into the box and as he pulled the ball back, it hit the hand of a Dungannon Swifts defender who in the eyes of the referee couldn’t have done anything about it.
Linfield then doubled their lead on 33 minutes and it was another well-worked goal. Again, Cammy Palmer was instrumental as he brought the ball forward and slipped it neatly into Eetu Vertainen inside the box and the Finnish forward repeated his goal from the same fixture last season as he chopped inside onto his right foot before hammering a clinical strike inside the far post for his ninth goal of the season.
The Blues had two further opportunities to add a third before the break. Firstly, Joel Cooper anticipated a weak header back to the Dungannon goalkeeper who was out quickly to narrow the angle and make a good stop. Soon after, Eetu Vertainen’s corner found Sam Roscoe ghosting across the near post and his side-footed shot was excellent save by the outstretched left leg of Swifts’ ‘keeper Dunne.
Half Time: Linfield 2 – 0 Dungannon Swifts
Linfield scored a third goal four minutes into the second and what a wonderful goal it was. Joel Cooper clipped a great ball into Chris McKee who times his run in behind to perfection to beat the ‘keeper to the ball and with great intelligence and skill, he backheeled the ball into Cammy Palmer who was grateful to tap the ball in at close range.
Joel Cooper almost got on the scoresheet himself when he received the ball from Eetu Vertainen out wide right before cutting inside and firing a fierce, rising shot just over the crossbar.
The Blues received a further boost on 77 minutes when attacking midfielder Jordan Stewart returned from a four-month injury lay-off. He looked bright when he came on and he thought he’d scored when he put in a rebound after a cracking 20 yard free-kick from Kyle McClean smashed against the underside of the crossbar, only for Stewart to be flagged for offside.
Despite their three-goal advantage, the Blues were hungry for more goals until the end. Sam Roscoe’s glancing header from Matthew Clarke’s corner was tipped over the bar and Ethan Devine headed over at the back post from Conor Pepper’s cross, whilst Chris McKee was put through on goal only to be denied by a good save before cramping up.
The visitors were then reduced to ten men in the closing stages as Matthew Clarke was hauled down after intercepting the ball in his own half and driving forward through the heart of the Swifts’ defence. At 3-0 down, Marron will probably regret not letting Clarke go on rather than pulling him back and he will now face a three-match suspension.
There was a late fourth goal in the pipeline for Linfield as Liam McStravick netted his second senior goal, rifling home from close range after Jordan Stewart’s shot had struck the post. It was a fitting way to mark yesterday’s signing of a first Professional contract for the 18 year-old.
Full Time: Linfield 4 – 0 Dungannon Swifts
LinfieldFC.com Man of the Match: Eetu Vertainen
Match Images
