Twigg nets two to settle cup tie
Gary Twigg
GARY Twigg followed up last weekend’s match-winning debut goal in the Danske Bank Premiership by bagging a brace today (Saturday) at Shamrock Park to help Portadown see off Dungannon Swifts.
Twigg proved sharp on 12 and 75 minutes respectively to settle the derby date by 2-1 and book the Ports a spot in the sixth round of the Irish Cup.
The highly-rated forward provided the cutting edge to a sluggish Portadown performance against a Swifts side with key chances but short of a key finisher in the final third.
Twigg managed to light up a drab first half by breaking the deadlock with a close-range tap-in following Brian Gartland’s header from a deep Darren Murray throw-in.
It proved the Ports’ only talking point before the break other than a Tim Mouncey header over the crossbar following Ross Redman’s corner-kick.
The Swifts enjoyed the majority of possession but failed to threaten David Miskelly’s clean sheet significantly until the final moments of the first half.
Francis Brennan stepped in to win back the ball off Brian Gartland and race down the right wing before cutting inside and firing across the face of goal – with James Costello and Chris Lavery in promising positions.
Twigg had efforts on goal in the opening and closing minutes of the second half but doubled his tally around the midway point by latching on to Brennan’s slack backpass, rounding the exposed Johnny Curran and slotting a shot into the empty net.
Miskelly was called on to protect the lead at 1-0 when Costello created space for a cross which PJ Lavery collected inside the box but failed to steer the close-range effort past the Ports goalkeeper.
The Swifts gained a reward at 2-0 down when, on 78 minutes, Josh Cahoon picked up the ball inside the penalty area and drilled an angled drive beyond Miskelly to close the gap.
Aaron Burns was introduced for his Portadown debut and proved impressive along the left wing. He came close to marking his first appearance as a home player at Shamrock Park with a goal but dragged the effort narrowly wide after clever footwork inside the box.
PORTADOWN: David Miskelly, Ross Redman, Chris Ramsey, Darren Murray, Kevin Braniff, Tim Mouncey, Joe McNeill, Chris Casement, Brian Gartland, Neil McCafferty, Gary Twigg. Subs: Jamie McArdle, Sean Mackle, Aaron Burns (on for T.Mouncey, 51 mins), Richard Lecky, Mark Patton.
DUNGANNON SWIFTS: Johnny Curran, Francis Brennan, Emmet Friars, Cameron Grieve, Adam McMinn, PJ Lavery, Chris Lavery, Matt Hazley, Ryan Harpur, Grant Hutchinson, James Costello. Subs: Johnny Montgomery, Jamie Glackin, Neal Gawley (on for C.Lavery, 63 mins), Josh Cahoon (on for M.Hazley, 70 mins), Ryan O’Neill (on for G.Hutchinson, 92 mins).
Referee: David Malcolm.
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Weather for Portadown
Tuesday 21 May 2013
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