REDS THOUGHT TIE WAS DUN..

DUNGANNON Swifts just love the Bet Mclean League Cup.

The holders showed real grit to progress to the semi-finals last night after a dramatic penalty shoot-out victory at Cliftonville.

It looked as though the Reds would make it through after Levi Ives had given them the lead in the first half of extratime, breaking Dungannon’s resistance with a thunderous 30-yard drive.

But Kris Lindsay’s never-say-die side netted an equaliser through Johnny Lafferty in the final moments of extratime to send the game to spot-kicks.

Cliftonville’s Joe Gormley and Ryan Catney then missed the target and Stephen Garrett had his effort saved by Niall Morgan. Jay Donnelly and Ives hit the net for the home side but successful strikes from Paul Mcelroy, Chris Hegarty and Jarlath O’rourke saw the holders through.

Dungannon had the best chance in the first half when Lafferty was denied by Brian Neeson. The home side upped the ante in the second period and will feel they should have won the contest in normal time.

But Morgan was in brilliant form, keeping out Chris Curran, Jay Donnelly and then Rory Donnelly, who claimed his header crossed the line before the Swifts keeper clawed it away.

The visitors had their moments too when Lafferty’s strike was cleared off the line and Neeson did superbly to deny Mark Patton.

DENIED Rory Donnelly thought his header crossed the line last night