Shevlin double fires Coleraine to Irish Cup glory in seven-goal thriller

Key facts

• Coleraine won the Irish Cup 3-2 against Dungannon Swifts at Windsor Park.
• Matthew Shevlin scored twice, in the 19th minute and on the hour mark.
• Joel Cooper added a goal a minute into the second half.
• Paul Doyle and Andy Mitchell scored for Dungannon Swifts.
• Coleraine's last Irish Cup win was in 2018; this is their seventh title overall.
• Coleraine will enter the Uefa Conference League at the second qualifying stage.
• Dungannon Swifts were defending champions, having won in 2025.

Lede: Coleraine reclaim Irish Cup in pulsating final

Matthew Shevlin scored twice as Coleraine defeated Dungannon Swifts 3-2 in the Irish Cup final at Windsor Park on Saturday, securing the club's first title since 2018 and a place in European competition. The victory, played out before a capacity crowd, ended the reign of the holders and sent the Bannsiders into the Uefa Conference League second qualifying round. The win also ensured Glentoran qualified for Europe as a result of the final outcome, adding a wider continental dimension to the domestic showpiece.

Shevlin and Cooper strike as Coleraine seize control

Shevlin opened the scoring in the 19th minute, capitalising on a defensive mix-up between Dungannon goalkeeper Declan Dunne and defender Caolan Marron as they attempted to clear a low cross from Lyndon Kane. The striker nipped in to fire home, giving Coleraine the lead against the run of play. Joel Cooper doubled the advantage just a minute into the second half, latching onto a flick from Shevlin and finishing low from a tight angle past Dunne. The goal came after a first half in which Dungannon had created several clear chances but failed to convert.

Dungannon fight back but fall short

Dungannon responded swiftly, pulling one back in the 55th minute when Paul Doyle curled a shot into the net from the edge of the area after being set up by Sean McAllister. However, Shevlin restored Coleraine's two-goal cushion on the hour mark, converting from close range after a diagonal ball caught the Swifts defence out of position. Andy Mitchell scored a second for Dungannon later in the half, but the holders could not find an equaliser. Manager Rodney McAree later described his side's performance as 'exceptional' despite the defeat, lamenting the preventable nature of the goals conceded.

Early pressure from Swifts goes unrewarded

Dungannon started the final as the stronger side, with Sean McAllister forcing Coleraine goalkeeper Ryan Schofield into action twice in the opening minutes. McAllister stung Schofield's palms on three minutes and then forced a tip over the crossbar with an acrobatic effort soon after. Kealan Dillon also had a chance, prodding straight at Schofield from inside the box after a cross from McAllister. Coleraine's first threat came on 11 minutes when Cooper's low effort was palmed away by Dunne, but the Bannsiders grew into the game and took the lead through Shevlin's opportunistic strike.

McAree: 'Devastated' but proud of his team

Rodney McAree, the Dungannon manager, expressed devastation at the result but pride in his team's performance. 'First and foremost, we're devastated,' he said. 'It's an honour for us to be involved and I think it's privilege, but we've earned the right to be here. Over the course of the last two seasons, we've been exceptional. And I thought we were exceptional today.' McAree highlighted the need for greater clinical finishing and criticised the three goals his side conceded. 'I'm disappointed with the three goals that we conceded and the first ones that mix up. It should be dealt with and the second one we don't defend the space in behind well enough. The third goal, we don't need to go and try and win the diagonal ball, and we sell ourselves and we're caught short. Ultimately, that's what's cost us the game.'

European qualification and next steps for both clubs

Coleraine's victory secures a place in the Uefa Conference League second qualifying round, while Glentoran also qualify for Europe as a consequence of the result. For Dungannon, attention now turns to the European play-off, where they face Carrick Rangers in the quarter-final on Wednesday, 6 May. The semi-final is scheduled for 9 May, with the final three days later. The Swifts will aim to secure European football for a second consecutive season, having earned the right to compete in continental competition through their league performance last year.

A final defined by fine margins and missed chances

The match was a tale of two halves: Dungannon dominated the opening period but failed to convert their chances, while Coleraine took theirs with ruthless efficiency. The Swifts' early pressure, including a Leo Alves volley that Schofield turned over and a Marron header that hit the post, could have changed the complexion of the game. Ultimately, defensive lapses and a lack of clinical finishing cost the holders, while Coleraine's ability to capitalise on key moments proved decisive. The Bannsiders' seventh Irish Cup triumph marks a return to the pinnacle of Northern Irish football after a seven-year drought, and sets them up for a European campaign that will test their mettle on a broader stage.

The bottom line

• Coleraine won the Irish Cup for the seventh time, their first since 2018, with a 3-2 victory over Dungannon Swifts.
• Matthew Shevlin scored twice, including the decisive third goal, and Joel Cooper added another for the Bannsiders.
• Dungannon Swifts, the defending champions, came from behind twice through Paul Doyle and Andy Mitchell but could not find an equaliser.
• Coleraine will enter the Uefa Conference League second qualifying round; Glentoran also qualify for Europe.
• Dungannon manager Rodney McAree called his team 'exceptional' but lamented defensive errors and missed chances.
• The Swifts now face Carrick Rangers in the European play-off quarter-final on 6 May.