'He's a phenomenal young man': Rodney McAree admits Steven Scott 'the one person I'm really delighted for' as Rory Hale also addresses red card incident

Having earlier been cautioned for dragging back Luke Conlan, 20-year-old Scott was shown a second yellow by referee Ian McNabb for a challenge on Cliftonville captain Rory Hale, but replays appeared to suggest there was minimal contact.

Scott, who came through the ranks at Dungannon United Youth before progressing into a senior star at Stangmore Park, has been a standout performer during a historic season for the Swifts, playing virtually every minute of their Premiership campaign which yielded a joint-best fourth-placed finish.

McAree’s men almost hung on to secure victory in normal time despite Scott’s absence, but conceded an agonising late blow as Shea Kearney struck in the 92nd minute.

However, Dungannon showed tremendous character and resilience throughout extra-time before Declan Dunne proved to be their penalty shootout hero, saving two spot-kicks, and McAree was happy the red card incident didn’t ultimately determine the outcome.

"I believe he didn't touch him, but at the time he gave Ian McNabb a decision to make and from where we were you couldn't really argue,” reflected McAree. "It's difficult in split seconds like that where Ian has to make a decision and you can understand that he reaches for a second yellow card because as soon as he gives the foul he has to book him.

"The one person I'm really delighted for in us getting over the line is Steven Scott.

"Anybody who knows Steven knows he has been through a hard time, he has came through Dungannon United Youth, Dungannon Swifts, lives 400 yards from the ground and as soon as he got sent off he would have been crying before he got to the tunnel, been crying the rest of the match and when he came out to celebrate with us at the end he was still crying.

"He's a phenomenal young man, he's a great character and great to work with. For him, for us, to win it, it was brilliant for him."

Speaking on the incident, Hale admits he “made the most” of Scott’s challenge but denied he dived to get the Dungannon youngster sent off.

"I seen the kid fly in for a challenge and I've threw my leg in,” he said. “He hasn't went out of his way to completely empty me but I seen an opportunity there, he has went diving in on me, I took a heavy touch and I fell into the tackle.

"I felt a nip, it wasn't clean contact, but in situations like that and the heat of the game, it was one of them things.

"I bought the foul more or less - I haven't dove, but I bought the foul.

"The kid has came in at 100 miles an hour at me and I felt a tiny touch, went down and made the most of it."