Dungannon Swifts Win NIFL Charity Shield on Penalties Over Linfield

Dungannon Swifts won the Charity Shield by defeating Linfield 5-3 on penalties following a goalless draw at Windsor Park. This victory came just months after the Swifts secured the Irish Cup, also via a penalty shootout, marking their second trophy at Windsor Park in three months. Linfield, who secured their place in the Charity Shield by winning the Gibson Cup for a record 57th time and finishing 22 points ahead of second place, now turn their focus to the Champions League qualifying round against Shelbourne. The match, held in support of Action Mental Health, saw both sides—managed by David Healy for Linfield and Rodney McAree for Dungannon—looking to start the 2025/26 season strongly with European competitions upcoming. Key moments in the shootout included a crucial penalty save by Dungannon's Alex Henderson from Linfield's Rhys Annett, enabling Leon Boyd to score the decisive kick. The tightly contested match featured numerous chances but ended in a stalemate before the penalty drama unfolded.