With the Irish League title almost certainly gone and, following their elimination from the Irish Cup, the Blues may have to rely on the BetMcLean Cup for a possible route to European football
Linfield came back off the ropes following their shock Irish Cup exit at their weekend with an impressive win over Rodney McAree’s Dungannon Swifts at Windsor Park on Tuesday night.
Goals from Matthew Fitzpatrick, who bagged a sensational treble, skipper Kyle McClean and substitutes Isaac Baird and Sean Brown helped lift the gloom that has hovered over David Healy’s team.
The reality is, with the Irish League title almost certainly prised from their grasp and, following their elimination from the Irish Cup, the Blues may have to rely on the BetMcLean Cup for a possible route to European football.
They face Glentoran in next month’s showcase final, with the winners guaranteed a slot in the end-of-season Euro Play-off Final.
At least their fans at last had something to smile about last night.
It was the Swifts who had the first sniff at goal after only five minutes. Kealan Dillon slipped a clever pass to Adam Glenny on the left channel, and his shot was superbly saved by Chris Johns at the near post.
Linfield retaliated with Fitzpatrick picking out Samy Taylor at the back post, only to see his rasping left-footed drive whacked off the goal line by Steven Scott.
The Swifts threatened again with Leo Alves tricking his way past Ben Hall, but his finishing shot fizzed high and wide.
Linfield’s Ethan McGee had a glorious chance to break the deadlock on 16 minutes when he met a Kirk Millar corner, but his downward header crashed off the surface and over the crossbar.
Healy’s men finally forged ahead four minutes later. McGee’s penetrating run sliced open the Swifts defence and he found Fitzpatrick, his shot arrowed into the bottom corner.
Dungannon responded in a positive manner with Dillon sending in a fierce drive from 30-yards that had Johns clawing out of the bottom corner.
The action quickly switched to the other end. Fitzpatrick sent Millar charging through the middle and, just when he was about to pull the trigger, Glenny came in with a goal saving block.
Swifts goalkeeper Declan Dunne then produced a wonder save to keep out a stinging Josh Archer drive, the ball spinning agonisingly for a corner kick.
But the Blues were not to be denied. They nicked a second three minutes before the interval when Adam Frizzell’s cutback from the left found McClean, who shot low and hard past Dunne.
Linfield were out of sight on 62 minutes with Baird gobbled up the third.
He was only on the pitch for 90 seconds when he latched on to a McGee cross and he thundered the ball home from close range.
Fitzpatrick then produced a classy finish to a Darragh Leahy cross 15 minutes from time, his deft little back flick, creeping past Dunne.
And, he done it again with three minutes left. Again, Leahy was the provider and this time the former Glenavon man flicked home with the outside of his boot.
Substitute Sean Brown put the icing on the cake with practically the final kick, thundering home a Charlie Allen pass.


