Dungannon Swifts recorded three points for the first time in the Sports Direct Premiership season against a Glenavon side reduced to nine men following red cards for Harry Murphy and Barney McKeown – with Thomas Maguire and Kealan Dillon the scorers in a 2-0 triumph.

Maguire broke the deadlock before Murphy’s dismissal for two bookable offences inside the opening 22 minutes.

Dillon’s fine free-kick strike doubled the visitors’ tally and the loss of Glenavon captain McKeown – also for two yellow cards, this time in rapid succession for dissent – added to the hosts’ problems in the tussle between two teams searching for a first league win.

Here’s the verdict of Dungannon Swifts boss Rodney McAree:

placeholder image — Kealan Dillon (right) takes in the celebrations from his Dungannon Swifts team-mates after scoring a superb free-kick against Glenavon at Mourneview Park. (Photo by Alan Weir/Pacemaker Press)

OVERALL REACTION...

"A lot happier than we have been, to be honest - probably a long time coming.

"It's not the start that we wanted (to the season) and the longer it goes on probably the more worried you get, the more agitated.

"I think that showed even in our second-half performance...we looked a little nervy at times.

"We didn't do things quickly enough, we didn't commit bodies forward enough.

"We seemed as if we'd settled at half-time to win the game 2-0 and go up the road, which is fair enough.

"We'll take the positives out of it.

"We'll look at our first-half performance, which was good...we started the game well.

"Even 11 v 11 we were the better team.

"I was happy then at 2-0 at half-time.

"We'll focus on the positives, not so much the negatives...there's been a lot of negatives so far this season which we've focused on quite a bit so it's nice to focus on the positives.”

BRIGHT START...

"Even at the very beginning we got into good areas by moving it quickly.

"Whenever they went to 10 men then towards the end of the first half it got a wee bit slow, second half was a wee bit slow.

"It panned out into a game which wasn't ultimately pleasant on the eye from our point of view even.

"I know Harry (Murphy) has been sent off for two yellow cards but we probably get into areas that ask questions and put the opposition under a little bit of pressure and it's paid off for us.

"I'd say if you ask my wife she's probably the happiest person at the minute...weekends have been tough.

"For us to only pick our first three points up today is disappointing but it's just good to get off the mark.

"And it's very good to get a clean sheet.”

McAree added: "We haven't had the rub of the green (this season) but that's searching for excuses too.

"We have to create our own luck, we have to do better and I think the first half we did.”

FUTURE GAINS...

"We've got 'Bigi' (Gael Bigirimana) back and he's a big player.

"I don't think he had his best game for us today but even having him in the dressing room, having him in around the players, on the pitch where he can organise and speak to people...it's massive for us.

"Junior will add to us as well in terms of he'll add competition with Tomas Galvin, Andrew Mitchell, Sam Anderson...we've good options in that area too.

"You want to try and back it up, it would be great to go and get back-to-back wins and win our next game.

"We know it will be extremely tough but that has to be the challenge.

"Sam needs minutes so we had sent him to play in the Bob Radcliffe Cup.

"I spoke to Sam and he knew he wasn't going to come here (Lurgan) and get gametime so he actually preferred to go and play but that game was called off at late notice.

"That's frustrating for Sam but he trained Thursday night with us, looking really good and sharp.

"And Junior has fitted in really well.

"Those two have given us options, even if we want to change our shape at times and go two up top we have four really good options now.

"I thought Tom Maguire started very well, Junior give us options to get higher up the pitch, Tiernan Kelly did very well in the middle of the park, Kealan Dillon done well."

DILLON’S FREE-KICK GOAL... "It's nothing I've seen today...me and ‘Choka’ (Terry Fitzpatrick) were sitting looking at how we can hurt Glenavon and the areas we need to get into and, all of a sudden, by the time we lifted our heads it was in the back of the net.

"Kealan has that...he practices all the time, he's constantly on the training pitch looking to practice free-kicks.

"His hard work and his efforts paid off today for him."