Dungannon Swifts pay the penalty as Stephen Hughes hits two for Newry City

All the action in the first half happened in a 12-minute period, and although no goals were scored, there were big chances for both sides.

After a tepid opening that saw the visitors mainly on top in terms of possession, they had a glorious opportunity to go in front on 19 minutes.

A ball into the area saw Daniel Hughes hold it up with his back to goal before trying to spin away from Darren King.

Referee Shane Andrews adjudged the Newry man to have pulled down his former team-mate and pointed for a penalty.

Hughes himself stepped up to take it, but despite his effort being placed and towards the bottom left corner, former Swifts keeper Andy Coleman, making his first start for his hometown club in his second spell at The Showgrounds, dived full length to his right to keep it out.

Newry probably should have gone in front a minute before the half hour with their best chance of the half.

Mark Hughes’ corner from the right was knocked down by Decky Carville to Teggart in space 12 yards out, but the youngster could only blast over the crossbar with the goal at his mercy.

City then went desperately close to scoring their first goal in top flight football when Teggart broke into space down the right to clip in a precision ball to Carville whose glancing header beat Alex Moore in the Swifts goal only to come back off the base of the left hand post.

Stephen Hughes then couldn’t force home the rebound as Moore managed to get a block in.

However, Newry did make their pressure count on 68 minutes and this time they were awarded a penalty when Jake Dykes pulled down Carville from a corner and Stephen Hughes put his spot kick in the same place as his brother’s in the first half, but this time it was out of the keeper’s reach as City went in front.

They doubled that advantage on 72 minutes with a second penalty that was even more clear-cut than the first as again Carville was fouled, this time by Kris Lowe, and once again Hughes slotted home the spot kick with aplomb.

Dungannon did pull one back on 89 minutes when Jarlath O’Rourke curled home a fine finish from outside the area but it didn’t prove to be enough for the away side.

Newry City: Coleman 8, King 7, Mooney 8, Noonan 7, Boyle 7, McCann 7, Carville 7 (Montgomery 83), McCabe 7, S Hughes 8 (Johnston 85), M Hughes 7, Teggart 7 (Lavery 82) Subs not used: Maguire, Johnston, Delaney, McArdle, Healy

Dungannon Swifts: Moore 6, Dykes 6, Wilson 7, Armstrong 6 (Campbell 58, 7), D Hughes 6, McMullan 6 (McElroy 70, 6), Harpur 6, Teggart 6 (Patton 70, 6), O’Rourke 7, Lowe 6, Coyle 6

Subs not used: Addis, Soares, Burke, McAllister

Referee: Shane Andrews