Are Dungannon Swifts turning Stangmore Park into a fortress? The numbers and statistics behind their incredible home run
Dungannon Swifts remain the Premiership’s only unbeaten team on home turf this season – a run which has laid the foundations for their incredible rise up the table – so the question is: are Rodney McAree’s side turning Stangmore Park into a fortress?
It was actually in the closing stages of last season when the early signs of this dominance started to show with the Swifts, who were seemingly destined to finish in ninth with Carrick Rangers and Loughgall battling for seventh, dragging themselves back into the European play-off race by winning all five matches in the split, including four at home.
They ultimately missed out to Carrick on the final day despite beating Ballymena United 3-0, but McAree’s men have been able to carry their form into the new campaign and the current record is quite incredible.
Not only have Dungannon won five and drawn one of six home games ahead of today’s clash with Loughgall, but Matthew Shevlin’s late equaliser for Coleraine in the season’s first fixture remains the sole goal they’ve conceded, keeping five consecutive clean sheets against Ballymena, Glentoran, Crusaders, Carrick Rangers and Portadown.
That stretch means in 14 home Premiership games in 2024, the Swifts have collected 32 points from a possible 42, including 28 in their last 10 matches – for context, reigning champions Larne have picked up 25 from an available 36 this calendar year, Cliftonville 23 and Linfield 21.
“They’re a great bunch to work with,” McAree told the club’s media channel after last weekend’s win over Portadown. “We have to remain humble, quiet and we’re not going to get carried away.”
Despite only making seven Premiership appearances so far this season, no goalkeeper has more clean sheets than 20-year-old Patrick Solis Grogan (five) while combined with Declan Dunne’s two, it means Dungannon can boast the league’s joint-best defensive record of teams that have played 10+ games alongside Glentoran (10 goals conceded in 13).
It’s that defensive improvement that will likely please McAree more than any other statistic considering the club have leaked 80+ league goals in three of their last four campaigns – last season’s tally of 69 was the lowest since 2018/19.
Teenage full-back Steven Scott has played every minute this term with his 77 interceptions (according to Sofascore) putting him seventh-highest in the Premiership while vice-captain Cahal McGinty has made 76 and also ranks highest in the league for clearances (61) – summer signing Danny Wallace is fourth (46) on that list.
Gael Bigirimana and Kealan Dillon have also had crucial roles to play – only Dylan Boyle (591) and Chris Shields (542) have made more accurate passes than Bigirimana (526) with midfield partner Dillon one spot behind (497).
Their current run isn’t quite on the same level as Larne's, who went went 27 league home games unbeaten between December 2022 and April 2024, but keeping consistency will only further aid Dungannon’s goal of securing a first top-six berth since 2009/10.