Ballymena United keep top-half Premiership hopes alive as pair score maiden club goals in victory over 10-man Dungannon Swifts

The Sky Blues took immediate advantage with Patrick McEleney scoring from a free-kick seconds after Dunne’s dismissal before Jordan McMullan and Success Edogun both scored their first Ballymena goals.

Here’s the story of the match:

TEAMS:

Dungannon Swifts: Dunne, S Scott, King, Curry, Wallace, Glenny, Bigirimana, Dillon, Alves, McGovern, Mitchell.

Subs: Henderson, Marron, Boyd, Galvin, Maguire, Hutchinson, Bermingham.

Ballymena United: O'Neill, Barr, McMullan, O'Donnell, McMullan, Lafferty, Hood, McEleney, Corbally, McCurry, Edogun.

Subs: Johnston, Jarvis, Moore, Loughran, Devine, Hawe, Idehen.

Referee: Michael McKenna.

FIRST HALF

8: A smart Dungannon corner routine as Adam Glenny peels away into space and is fed by Kealan Dillon, but the wing-back can’t connect and Ballymena clear the danger.

10: Dungannon midfielder Dillon is the first player booked for a challenge on James Hood.

13: RED CARD: Declan Dunne (Dungannon Swifts) – The hosts are reduced to 10-men in the early stages as goalkeeper Dunne is given his marching orders for a foul on Calvin McCurry, deemed to be denying a clear goalscoring opportunity. Alex Henderson comes on for Dillon.

15: GOAL: BALLYMENA UNITED (PATRICK MCELENY) – Ballymena take immediate advantage as McEleney curls the resulting free-kick into the top corner beyond Henderson. 1-0.

19: Leo Alves’ corner finds Dean Curry as Dungannon look to get back level but McEleney makes an important block.

21: Success Edogun finds his way in behind Dylan King but Henderson comes to the rescue, making a fine save to deny the Ballymena striker.

24: Kian Corbally is shown perhaps a harsh yellow card for duelling with Gael Bigirimana. Didn’t look much in it.

39: It looks from this angle like King has pulled Dungannon level with a header but Sean O’Neill manages to claim.

42: A pinpoint cross from Danny Wallace finds Andrew Mitchell in space at the back post and Dungannon are only denied an equaliser by Stephen O’Donnell clearing off the line.

HALF TIME: Dungannon Swifts 0 – 1 Ballymena United.

One change at the break for Dungannon as Caolan Marron replaces Dylan King for his first Premiership minutes since January 2024.

SECOND HALF

51: GOAL: BALLYMENA UNITED (JORDAN MCMULLAN) – Dungannon had looked a threat but it’s Ballymena who double their advantage with McMullan marking his first Premiership start of the season with a fine finish into the bottom corner. 2-0.

52: Goalscorer McEleney comes off and is replaced by Aaron Jarvis.

53: Another chance for Ballymena as Success Edogun attempts to lob Henderson but it drifts over the crossbar.

58: Rodney McAree makes a triple substitution as Brandon Bermingham, Grant Hutchinson and Thomas Maguire replace Leo Alves, Danny Wallace and Andrew Mitchell.

64: Ballymena teenager James Hood is booked for attempting to stop McGovern taking a quick throw.

67: Southampton-bound Luke Hawe, Ballymena’s youngest-ever player, comes on for more Premiership experience in place of McCurry.

72: Jarvis the latest player into the book for barging through Bigirimana, giving Dungannon a free-kick in a promising position.

74: A sixth player booked as McGovern is cautioned for a challenge on O’Donnell.

77: Bermingham unleashes a free-kick form distance which Sean O’Neill tips over the bar and from the resulting corner Glenny can’t steer his header on target.

80: GOAL: BALLYMENA UNITED (SUCCESS EDOGUN) – Conor Barr slides a pass into Edogun who surely secures the points for Ballymena by scoring his first goal since arriving in January. 3-0.

83: Edogun, Korbally and Hood are replaced by Caolan Loughran, Ethan Devine and Joe Moore for Ballymena.

90: Three minutes of added time.

FULL TIME: Dungannon Swifts 0 – 3 Ballymena United.