Cliftonville Lacks Conviction in Irish Cup Final Loss to Dungannon Swifts

Cliftonville suffered a dramatic defeat in the Irish Cup final, losing to Dungannon Swifts in a penalty shootout after a 1-1 draw in extra time. Despite taking advantage of a late equalizer by Shea Kearney and a man advantage after Steven Scott's red card, Cliftonville failed to capitalize, with Swifts goalkeeper Declan Dunne making crucial saves. Manager Jim Magilton admitted his team 'lacked real conviction' and did not do enough to win, despite dominating possession and having chances to clinch victory late in the game. Magilton also raised concerns about the penalty shootout location, which was decided by the IFA for safety reasons due to crowd behavior, but he emphasized this did not ultimately determine the outcome. He praised Dungannon's defensive resilience and character, acknowledging them as worthy winners. Cliftonville now turns its attention to the Premiership play-offs for a chance at European qualification.