The Boyhood Fan Turned Manager Eyeing Historic Cup Win

It's nan dream of each shot protagonist to make history pinch nan nine you love.

For Rodney McAree, that's precisely what has happened.

He will beryllium successful nan dugout arsenic Dungannon Swifts look to triumph nan Irish Cup - nan showpiece arena for nine shot successful Northern Ireland - for nan first time.

McAree is from nan town, and aft a stint playing for Fulham, wherever he became a cult hero, he returned location to Stangmore Park.

In 2007, nan Irish Premiership underdogs were denied a first Irish Cup occurrence connected penalties to Linfield.

McAree scored a first-half equaliser and netted his punishment successful nan shootout, but it ended successful heartbreak.

He stepped into nan dugout astatine nan nine aft he hung up his boots, and led nan nine to its first elder trophy successful nan League Cup successful 2018.

After stints astatine Coleraine and Glentoran, he returned to nan Swifts successful 2023 and now he's looking to make moreover much history connected Saturday.

"It intends everything, really. I'm a Dungannon Swifts fan," said McAree.

"Whenever I was distant from nan nine and you spot it not doing arsenic good arsenic you want to spot it doing, it hurts.

"Whenever I sewage nan opportunity to spell backmost it came astatine a clip erstwhile I felt it was correct for maine to spell back.

"People possibly looked astatine it arsenic a spot of a measurement backwards from wherever I was, but I saw it arsenic a challenge.

"I went to spot if I could do thing aliases create thing special, and to get to nan Irish Cup last is thing special.

"Now that we're successful nan cup last we want to effort and spell to triumph it."

The club's Stangmore Park crushed was opened successful 1975, nan twelvemonth aft McAree was born.

As he was increasing up successful Dungannon, truthful was nan club.

"I retrieve Dungannon Swifts erstwhile location was only a spot of obstruction astir it, and location was a shuck up astir nan acold side.

"I retrieve nan aged changing rooms and nan aged bluish hut, and I retrieve nan caller clubhouse going up.

"There is truthful overmuch that I remember, and remembering each that shows conscionable really acold nan nine has come."

When you see those memories, and nan truth his father, Joe, was a cornerstone of nan club, it's nary astonishment that it's ingrained successful his DNA.

"You are capable to spot nan progression and nan magnitude of difficult activity that group person put in, immoderate of whom are nary longer pinch us.

"There are group who are caller to nan nine who person bought into nan difficult activity that's needed to support Dungannon Swifts going.

"It would mean truthful overmuch for everyone who has been progressive successful it. It would beryllium thing that we would each beryllium capable to observe together."

Roll backmost to May 2007 and Rodney McAree stands dejected successful nan mediate of Windsor Park, his hands connected his hips staring astatine nan Dungannon Swifts supporters.

McAree, who netted nan Swifts 2nd equaliser and scored nan Swifts' 4th punishment successful nan shootout, says it was still a "great day" contempt nan result, but he has 1 lingering regret.

"It was disappointing successful nan extremity because we went truthful close. My biggest regret of that time is that I didn't return nan 2nd penalty.

"We were 1-0 up and Linfield had missed their first 2 kicks, and I consciousness we could person fixed ourselves a spot of a bridge.

"But I didn't. I went for glory and thought I was going to people nan victor and I deed nan 4th penalty, but it didn't activity retired that way."

Now, 18 years on, he has a chance astatine redemption pinch nan Swifts - but this clip successful nan dugout against Cliftonville.

"It was a awesome time and it's superb to beryllium back.

"I really thought astir trying to find my medal, but I don't cognize wherever I person it.

"We'll speak astir our ain experiences successful nan changing room nan champion we perchance can."

It has been nan play of dreams for Dungannon Swifts, moreover for nan astir optimistic of supporters.

Tipped for relegation by many, they made a blistering commencement to nan season, but alternatively of slipping down nan table, they person stuck nan chase.

McAree's broadside became nan first broadside to ace into nan accepted 'top six' successful 5 years, surpassing clubs that person much financial musculus and resource.

A Mid-Ulster Cup triumph and Irish Cup last marks a superb season, but moreover if they suffer nan Windsor Park showpiece, they will still person a play-off for European shot adjacent season.

The Swifts person plentifulness of experience, for illustration Dean Curry, Gael Bigirimana and Andrew Mitchell.

That's been blended pinch breathtaking youth, specified arsenic apical scorer John McGovern and defenders Adam Glenny and Steven Scott. It's been nan cleanable recipe.

"The players person clicked and bought into it. Everyone successful nan dressing room has delivered thing this season. I deliberation we're a bully group, not conscionable arsenic bully group but bully players.

"It's astir trying to get them to bargain into nan accusation that is fixed to them, and they've done that.

"They improved towards nan extremity of past season, and I'm ever fearful astatine nan commencement of nan play you could get yourself successful a rut if you don't get yourself going arsenic quickly arsenic you can.

"But we sewage disconnected to a bully start, were up astir nan apical of nan array and we've managed to enactment location for nan duration."

McAree says location has been "a really bully buzz" astir nan nine and while nan Swifts haven't sewage nan biggest support successful nan league, "they are loyal".

"I cognize they will travel retired successful their numbers nan champion they tin and springiness america bully support connected nan day.

"It would beryllium bully to reward them pinch thing really typical for illustration winning nan cup aliases getting European football."