'I just want to give God the glory' - Dungannon Swifts' Irish Cup winner Gael Bigirimana highlights importance of his faith

The Swifts won the domestic game’s biggest knockout prize for the first time ever with a penalty shoot-out success over holders Cliftonville at Windsor Park on an afternoon of high emotions and high drama.

John McGovern’s header handed the Swifts control but red for Stephen Scott on 69 minutes left Dungannon down to 10 men.

Cliftonville – having won the trophy for the first time in 45 years last season – were seconds away from an exit in normal time on Saturday before Shea Kearney smashed home an equaliser from distance over added time.

Neither side could find a way to gain the upper hand in extra-time but Bigirimana’s clearance off the line over the closing stages to deny Eric McWoods was one stand-out moment in the Swifts’ display of resolve.

The Burundi international stepped up to take the first spot-kick for Dungannon and made no mistake as the Swifts went on to win the shoot-out 4-3 thanks to two penalty saves by Declan Dunne.

"I just want to give God the glory...without Him I am weak, without him I can’t do it, I can’t play football,” said Bigirimana during his post-match interview on the National Football Stadium pitch with BBC Sport NI. "Then for the club, for my team-mates, for the town of Dungannon...it's so special.

"We played Cliftonville a few months ago and before the game I said to the boys 'I feel we're going to do something special, I don't know what it is but sometimes in life you get that feeling'.

"Cliftonville beat us 4-1 so I was like 'okay, maybe not'!

"But the boys have been magnificent.

"I talk so much but I'm just over the moon, I'm speechless.”

For the shoot-out, Bigirimana – who represented Newcastle United across the Premier League and has played in the Africa Cup of Nations – took on the weight of the first Swifts kick and drilled the ball beyond David Odumosu.

“Nobody can say they’re not nervous, you hear the crowd,” he told BBC Sport NI. "Cliftonville were amazing and it was a great day for the Irish League, the spectacle.

"I said 'I'm going to go first'.

"We did a penalty practice on Thursday with one penalty each...I missed it!

"For 10 men with that period of the game I said 'we've got here, we have to go for it, I'm proud of my team-mates whatever the result'.

"I give thanks to my Lord, I'm a believer in Jesus Christ and recently I've been having a hard time with my faith.

"But my Bible tells me that the Lord guides me."