Steel and Sons Cup: Linfield Swifts beat Newington in festive final
- From the section Irish
Media playback is not supported on this device
Linfield Swifts clinched their 11th Steel and Sons trophy after a 3-1 victory over Newington YC at Seaview.
Jake Corbett scored a double for Linfield before Robbie McVarnock's goal with 10 minutes remaining set up a tense finish.
But David Dorrian's youthful side secured the win when highly-rated Charlie Allen netted in injury-time.
The festive final was a repeat of the 2017 decider, in which Newington came out on top 1-0.
Ruairi O'Hare, Dale Taylor and Trai Hume all had early chances for the Swifts, before Corbett headed home Callum McVeigh's cross five minutes before the break.
Allen had a free-kick well saved by Marc Maybin in the Newington goal, before the Premier Intermediate side did put the ball in the net through Michael Gallagher, but the midfielder was adjudged to have been offside.
Corbett made it two on 67 minutes when he had the time and space of the Newington penalty area to nod a header past Maybin before McVarnock teed up a grandstand finish when he headed home on 80 minutes.
Jonathan Gowdy had a fabulous opportunity top bring Newintgon level in the latter stages but his effort was scrambled off the line by Hume before Allen wrapped up the win in injury-time after sprinting clear and slotting past Maybin.
