IRISH LEAGUE: Dungannon Swifts boss Rodney McAree wants to end season on a high

McAree watched his side produce the perfect away display to pick up all three points at Coleraine on Saturday.

The victory moved the Stangmore Park side up to seventh in the table, but McAree confirmed afterwards they won’t be taking part in the Europa League Play-offs at the end of the season, even if they finish in their current position.

However, that won’t stop them trying to pick up as many points as they can from now until the end of the season.

“I don’t think we have applied for a UEFA Licence,” he said.

“I haven’t started my Pro Licence yet, I’m hoping to start as soon as I can.

“It is a bit disappointing from our point of view that we can’t have a rattle at that, but we’ll continue on in the same vein as we are doing and try to pick up as many points as we can.

“It’s important in our position to take us away from the drop zone.

“It’s a massive three points for us especially when you look at all the other results across the league, and how they have panned out and what it means for us to have picked up three points here.

“It was a scrappy affair, but it was a game which we kept ourselves in thanks to our goalkeeper in the first half, who made a couple of very good saves.

“As I say we kept ourselves in the game and that gave us the opportunity to go and nick one.

“Everyone played their part today. Defending come from the front as they say but Andy Coleman has been superb for us all season.

“We have had him to thank on numerous occasions. Unfortunately that’s his job, he is paid to do that, but he does it extremely well.

“It was a fantastic strike by Matty, he has the capabilities to do that sort of thing.

“It sat up nicely for him and he struck it extremely well.”

For Coleraine manager Oran Kearney it was a case of deja vu.

Last week he watched his side produce a similar performance on the road as they struck late on to see off Portadown.

“The Portadown game last week was exactly like that, we scored late on to win it,” said the Bannsiders boss.

“But I think the key thing today, and probably like the game last week, the first goal was always going to be vital.

“Obviously the timing is crucial too, last week we scored with ten minutes to go, and Dungannon did that today.

“We could all see that probably one goal was going to be enough to win the game,” added Kearney.