Rodney McAree demands more hunger and desire from Dungannon Swifts after Cliftonville defeat

RODNEY McAree admitted Dungannon Swifts must show greater hunger and desire after their 3-1 defeat to Cliftonville at Stangmore Park on Saturday, insisting his side are not getting the rewards their efforts should warrant.

The Swifts manager was left frustrated after Brian Healy scored twice, including the opening and final goals, to help Cliftonville end a run of six successive Premiership defeats. Rory Hale also found the net for the Reds, while Sean McAllister pulled one back for the hosts.

Despite a promising opening spell, McAree felt his side were punished for defensive mistakes and their failure to manage key moments in the game.

“I thought we started the game quite well, I thought bar the first mistake we made at least there was an opportunity where Liam McStravock hits the outside of the post, right in the first minute. I thought after that right up until the 25th, 26th minute, I thought we’d done well.”

However, the manager was disappointed with the manner in which his team conceded the opener, with Healy taking advantage of space in the penalty area.

“We allow the ball to come into our box too easily, we don’t defend the near-post space well enough and we allow Brian Healy to get between us, and he pokes it into the back of the net.”

Dungannon then conceded a second goal in quick succession, leaving McAree frustrated with his side's response to the setback.

“The elements were tough today, the conditions were tough and that’s maybe making excuses and we have got to do better. In the space of two-and-a-half minutes, we put ourselves under pressure. We put ourselves under pressure right from the kick-off, whereas in my opinion, we should have been playing in the opposition’s half. Get the ball up the pitch, take a little bit of pressure off us, see out the next five minutes but we put ourselves under pressure and we conceded a second and that’s the most frustrating thing.”

McAree made four substitutions after the interval in an attempt to turn the game around, and he believed the changes gave his side renewed energy going forward.

“We came out at the start of the second half, didn’t start overly well but we made four substitutions and I thought the substitutes who came on maybe put a little bit of spark into us going forward, and we got ourselves back in the game.”

McAllister's goal offered Dungannon a route back into the contest, but Cliftonville restored their two-goal advantage through Healy, leaving the Swifts boss questioning his players' determination to prevent the visitors from building another attack.

“You think you have a real good opportunity and you kick yourself in the foot because we don’t show the hunger, the desire to stop Cliftonville playing out of a tight area in their back four. We allow them up the pitch and concede a third and you find yourself 3-1 down.”

Reflecting on the defeat, McAree made clear how much the result hurt, calling on his players to share the same emotional commitment to the club.

“It’s just disappointing. Everything I do, everything I’ll try to do and everything the staff will try to do will be for Dungannon Swifts Football Club. Emotionally it hurts, and we have to make sure that the changing room hurts a little bit more emotionally and also hurts a little bit more physically because at this moment in time I don’t believe we’re maybe getting as much as what we should.”

The manager also highlighted the need for greater determination in the final third, particularly in the build-up to McAllister's goal.

“We’ve got to show a wee bit more desire to actually get on the end of things and really force it over that line, and get ourselves back involved.”

Attention now turns to Saturday’s match against Linfield at Windsor Park, a fixture McAree recognises will provide a stern test for his players.

“We’re certainly going to have to work harder. We have to regroup, we have to get together again at training on Tuesday night - I don’t think they could go to a tougher place.”

Although he expects a difficult assignment, McAree believes the challenge should underline the level of performance required from his squad.

“I’m happy and glad that it is the next place that they’re going to because everybody around the club and players within the changing room will understand that it's going to be a very, very difficult game and if we continue to concede chances that we had today, we could be really up against it.”

The manager also acknowledged that Dungannon's home form remains a significant concern, with just four points collected from their home matches.

“Our home record hasn’t been good enough, we’ve only picked four points up from our home matches and that’s disappointing because we’re a team that likes to play football. We’re a team that likes nice facilities and we’re just not delivering at this moment in time. It has to improve.”