Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree left perplexed by the decision to allow Linfield's second goal but believes his side were better against 11 men during BetMcLean Cup semi-final defeat

With the Blues leading through Kyle McClean's free-kick after only five minutes on the clock, the visitors would then find themselves reduced to ten men on the hour mark as Euan East was dismissed for a second bookable offence.

However, the BetMcLean Cup holders would double their advantage at Stangmore Park in controversial circumstances as McClean fired in his second of the evening on 70 minutes.

McAree and his players believe the linesman should have flagged for offside in the build-up as Matthew Fitzpatrick was adjudged to have not interfered with play but the goal stood.

The Swifts did produce a late rally to half the deficit through Joe Moore's effort but Linfield held firm to meet Portadown in the decider on Sunday, March 10.

"We started the game poorly but for large parts of it I felt we did okay," McAree Dungannon Swifts' YouTube channel.

"Whenever it was 11 vs 11, we competed well, we passed the ball well and we created a couple of half chances.

"I thought we did well when it was 11 vs 11 but when Linfield had Euan East sent-off, it looked as if we were the team who went down to ten men.

"They passed the ball better than we did for a 10 or 15 minute spell and we lost control of the game.

"Unfortunately, we've come out on the end of a 2-1 defeat and you can look at the goals we've conceded this season and point the finger at people.

"You try to analyse it and pick faults out of it but I can't point the finger at any of our players when Linfield score their second goal.

"They've done all they could but in terms of an offside decision when someone is supposedly not interfering with play, I don't know how he's not.

"If Matthew Fitzpatrick stands still and allows Kyle McClean to run by him, I can understand why he can still score a goal.

"But when runs into Kyle's path and thinks about shooting himself, our goalkeeper doesn't know who's hitting it, so how's he not interfering with play?"

The Swifts turn their attentions to Premiership duty this weekend as they welcome in-form Larne to Stangmore Park.

The two teams have played out two draws so far this term and McAree is aware that the reigning champions will be wanting to put that right.

"We will be looking forward to Thursday night to get back on the training pitch,” McAree said.

"We will try to get it out of our system, we will regroup and we will speak about Larne.

"It's going to be an extremely difficult game, we've drawn against them twice this season and they'll feel as if they owe us one.

"We have to try and guard against that as best as we can to make sure that doesn't happen.

"Larne have a lot of good players and have just signed Chris Gallagher who is another good player."