While Rodney McAree admits it was great to have the Sky Sports cameras at Stangmore Park for their Premiership clash against newly-crowned champions Linfield, he feels the Irish League is used to “fill a gap in the TV schedule” with preparation for this weekend’s huge Irish Cup semi-final showdown with Bangor now impacted by the fixture alteration.

Originally scheduled for a Saturday afternoon, the meeting between Dungannon and Linfield was moved to Monday evening after being selected for live broadcast on Sky Sports, but the programme only started at 7:55pm – five minutes before kick-off – and ended at 10pm.

McAree isn’t the first Irish League boss to question Sky’s decisions as David Healy blasted the broadcaster in November after his side defeated Carrick Rangers, saying: “If Sky can’t be bothered doing the thing right, then don’t do it at all.”

As a part-time club, Dungannon’s traditional training schedule consists of sessions on Tuesday and Thursday evenings, but that will be impacted this week ahead of their biggest match of the season to date as they prepare to face Bangor in the hope of sealing only the club’s second Irish Cup final appearance.

placeholder image — Dungannon Swifts vs Linfield was the fifth Irish League match to be broadcast by Sky Sports this season. (Photo by Andrew McCarroll/Pacemaker Press)

Sky Sports have broadcast four Premiership matches this term alongside the BetMcLean Cup final, and while acknowledging the importance of having Irish League football on such a prestigious platform, McAree wonders if more can be done with it.

"It gets moved to a Monday night to suit Sky...it's great for the club and players to play on Sky, but it gets aired at 7:55pm and as soon as the match is over it's off the channel,” said McAree. "I feel as if our preparation has been put out for the weekend's game, if this had been on a Saturday it would have been great and you maybe don't make seven changes.

"The timing of it's not ideal.

"It seems to be when there's international matches on we fill a gap in the TV schedule, but it's still great to be on Sky and have the Sky cameras here at Stangmore."

Despite suffering a 3-0 defeat to the Blues, Dungannon still have three potential avenues to secure European football for next season in what is already a historic campaign after sealing their first top-six Premiership finish in 15 years.

McAree felt a number of decisions went against his side on Monday evening, including Tomas Galvin’s wonderstrike from distance which appeared to bounce off the crossbar and over the line, but ultimately wasn’t given.

"I think it is over the line - numerous people have messaged and said it's well over the line,” added McAree. "The way it hit the crossbar, hits the ground and spins out, it gives you the impression that it's over the line from where we are.

"I'm told we're not in a position where we can guess, but they've guessed that it's not.

"It's a big decision and you want to get the big decisions right...unfortunately we feel a bit aggrieved that it hasn't.

"We're disappointed at times when we didn't have the ball in the first half that we didn't put enough pressure on Linfield, but I also felt at times we played quite well.

"We created a few half-chances and if you get in at 1-0 you might be happier, but we get turned too easily and we give Linfield a penalty and they go in at 2-0, so it becomes a tough game.”