Dungannon Swifts manager Rodney McAree believes Corey Smith can make a big impact at Stangmore Park after impressing in their Premiership victory over Ballymena United.

In his first league start since returning to Dungannon, where he came through the youth ranks, from Coleraine on a permanent basis earlier this month, Smith looked dangerous and provided a source of consistent attacking threat for the Swifts.

Still only 20, Smith has gained a full-time education at both Larne and the Bannsiders, and also made 19 Premiership appearances during a loan move to Glenavon earlier this season.

The Northern Ireland youth international has settled quickly back into familiar surroundings in Co Tyrone and McAree believes Saturday’s display is a sign of things to come.

placeholder image — Dungannon Swifts winger Corey Smith impressed in Saturday's victory over Ballymena United. (Photo by David Maginnis/Pacemaker Press)

"I thought Corey was excellent,” he said. "I thought he was really, really good for somebody who's just coming into a team.

"He suits how we try to play and probably gives us the option with Leo (Alves) on the opposite side where Leo can maybe come inside and Corey can give us a wee bit of width on the opposite side.

"I thought he was positive. We encouraged him the first time he picked the ball up. We said to him before the game to go and get at the defender.

"The first time he did, he picked it up, he got to the byline. I think he won us a couple of corners in quick succession by being positive.

"He has his strengths. We know him inside out because he has come through the system. We know that he has weaknesses as well. All we want to do is try and put a smile on his face and try and improve him.

"He's only 20. He's been away, got a good education at Larne and Coleraine. He's worked with good coaches. He'll have got good information. He comes to us now at 20 years of age. I think it's exciting.”

Having dominated first half proceedings without finding a breakthrough, Dungannon went ahead after 68 minutes when Kealan Dillon drove an effort into the bottom corner before Junior’s late goal ensured maximum points.

Dillon, known for his trademark long-range strikes, came close on a number of occasions prior to netting his third league goal of the season, and McAree wants the creative midfielder to get in similar positions throughout the campaign.

“It’s a great goal,” he added. "Obviously he has a couple of great efforts from free kicks, which go just wide.

"He has a great effort in the first half as well that the keeper makes a good save from.

"Kealan has the capabilities of scoring goals. We need to just make sure that we're keeping encouraging him to get into the areas of the pitch where he can hurt the opposition and not get too far away from the opposition's goal.

"He has to play to his strengths. We believe that if he plays to his strengths, he's got the capability of scoring with both feet, got the capabilities of creating, so we want to get him into the areas where we can get him doing that.”