Niall Currie believes Portadown are ‘covered’ under his management to get back into Premiership following relegation

The Ports' quest for a miraculous escape fell short as they were beaten 3-2 by Dungannon Swifts in an action packed fixture at Stangmore Park.

The hosts were much the better side in the opening half an hour and took the lead when Ethan McGee headed in from James Knowles' corner-kick.

However, Portadown would grow into the contest and equalised on 58 minutes as Paul McElroy poked home from close range.

The goals would keep on coming as Jordan Jenkins gave the Swifts the lead with 62 minutes played but back came Portadown yet again as McElroy added his second of the afternoon just five minutes later.

A fifth and decisive goal would go in the way of the Swifts as Corey Smith's cross was prodded in by Michael O'Connor to condemn Portadown to Championship football next season.

“Everything has changed now," Currie said.

“We’ve had discussions about budgets whether we are in the Premiership or the Championship.

“The bottom line is that we have a whole squad out of contract again.

“But it’s a situation I’ve been in before and we will see who wants to stay.

“I said to the players after the game that if they didn’t realise how big this club is, they had to see the crowd as three quarters of the ground was covered in red and white for an away game.

“For anybody who moves on, they won’t move onto a bigger club than this no matter if they want to play in the Premiership or what their ambitions are – they won’t play for a bigger club than this one.

“The heartbreaking thing for me is that some of them don’t get it but they will eventually.

“Yes, we will go into the Championship and I know what I’m doing and everything else, but I think the club and supporters now realise that I’m a Premiership manager.

“You don’t keep Carrick Rangers with the lowest budget in the league for three years if you’re not a Premiership manager and that’s how I see myself.

“I think the club is covered in both directions – for me next season and I think they’ll be covered when I get them back in the Premiership again."

Despite showing no issues of finding the back of the net, Currie rued his side's tendency to concede sloppy goals as the main reason for their relegation.

“I thought we were the better team for the whole second-half," he added.

“You can’t win football matches when you’re conceding goals like that.

“We’ve turned everything around in regards to being a really offensive team as we are now scoring goals and looking dangerous whenever we play.

“But ultimately, conceding poor goals has consistently been our Achilles’ heel all season."

DUNGANNON SWIFTS: Dunne, Marron (Animasahun ’46 mins), Knowles, Mayse (Bruna ’76 mins), O’Connor, Curry, McGinty, Walsh (Smith ’46 mins), McGee, Jenkins (Moore ’83 mins), Scott (O’Kane ’58 mins)

Subs Not Used: Nelson (GK), Lynch.

PORTADOWN: Barr, Upton, Wilson, Russell (Balde ’80 mins), Chapman, Archer, Rodgers, McCawl (Igiehon ’90 mins), Friel, McElroy, Walker (O’Sullivan ’56 mins).

Subs Not Used: Mastny (GK), Stedman, Teggart, Jordan.

Referee: Tony Clarke