THREE AND EASY BUT PLAY-OFF SPOT ELUDES THE SWIFTS
Dungannon Swifts swept to a comfortable three-goal defeat of Ballymena United at Stangmore Park but missed out on securing a European play-off spot.
Rodney McAree's side needed Carrick Rangers to slip up away to Glenavon to stand any chance of going forward to meeting Crusaders next week but despite getting the win they needed so too did Rangers thus rendering the result academic in the end.
The Swifts created numerous opportunities early on so it was no surprise when they moved in front after just 12 minutes when Adam Glenny rose highest to head James Knowles' corner past keeper Sam Johnston in off an upright.
Further chances followed, but it took Andrew Mitchell to double the home advantage seven minutes into the second half when he pounced on a defensive lapse to slot home from close range after Steven Scott had sent the ball into the box.
And the scoring was completed three minutes from time through Dean Curry who, once more from a Knowles corner, bundled the ball over the line from close range.
Dungannon Swifts: Dunne, Curry, Knowles, Dillon, S. Scott, Glenny, McGinty, Alves, Mitchell, Bigirimana, Gavlin subs Henderson, J. Scott, Campbell, Moore, Maguire, Lusty, Barrowman
Ballymena United: Johnston, Rocks, F. Taylor, McGrory, Tennant, D. Taylor, McMurray, Place, McAuley, Mallon, Hood subs O’Neill, McCullough, Brown, Stewart, Barr, McCurry, McCallion
Substitution 
Substitution 
