Coleraine beat Swifts in thrilling final to win Irish Cup

Coleraine beat Swifts in thrilling final to win Irish CupImage source, PacemakerImage caption, Shevlin netted two in the final to help the Bannsiders to a first Irish Cup win since 2018ByLauren McCannBBC Sport NI journalist at Windsor ParkPublished33 minutes agoMatthew Shevlin scored twice as Coleraine won the Irish Cup for the first time since 2018 with a 3-2 victory over 2025 winners Dungannon Swifts in a thrilling final at Windsor Park.Shevlin opened the scoring on 19 minutes when he pounced on a defensive error from the Swifts.Joel Cooper added a second a minute into the second half with a low finish from inside the box before Paul Doyle pulled one back for Dungannon.But Shevlin ensured the trophy would return to the north coast as he converted from close range for a third for the Bannsiders on the hour mark despite Andy Mitchell scoring another for Dungannon.It is the seventh time the Bannsiders have won the competition and they will now enter the Uefa Conference League at the second qualifying stage with Glentoran also qualifying for Europe as a result.Coleraine edge out Swifts in breathless deciderThe holders started brightly and created a few good opportunities to go ahead with Sean McAllister twice calling Ryan Schofield into action.He stung the palms of Schofield on three minutes and then forced the goalkeeper to tip an acrobatic effort over the crossbar soon after.McAllister was involved again two minutes later as he charged down the left and slipped the ball across for Kealan Dillon, who should have done better with his prodded effort from inside the box that was straight at Schofield.Those early chances for the Swifts sparked Coleraine into life and they threatened for the first time on 11 minutes when the ball broke for Cooper inside the box and his low effort was palmed away by Declan Dunne.Shevlin then broke the deadlock on 19 minutes, firing home after a defensive mix-up between Dunne and Caolan Marron in attempting to clear a low cross from Lyndon...