Coleraine Faces Dungannon Swifts in Irish Cup Final 2026

Coleraine prepares to face Dungannon Swifts in Irish Cup final

Introduction to Final The most significant day in Northern Ireland's football calendar is approaching, with Coleraine set to take on reigning champions Dungannon Swifts in the Irish Cup final at Windsor Park on Saturday. The Bannsiders are seeking to win the trophy for the first time since 2018, following a strong finish to their domestic campaign that helped them secure second place in the table. Meanwhile, the Swifts aim to retain the trophy they won for the first time in their history in the previous year's dramatic final. This encounter promises to be intriguing, and ahead of the big day, a detailed examination of the final is underway. The Irish Cup final will kick off at 14:30 BST at Windsor Park, with the possibility of extra time and penalties if necessary. ## Follow the Action The game will be broadcast live on various platforms, including BBC Two NI, BBC iPlayer, and the BBC Sport NI website. Stephen Watson will be joined in the studio by Linfield boss David Healy, recently appointed Portadown manager David Jeffrey, and Cliftonville boss Jim Magilton. Thomas Kane will provide commentary alongside Limavady United midfielder Philip Lowry, who has won the Irish Cup six times during his spells with Linfield and Crusaders. Nicola McCarthy will gather reaction from the pitch side. The game can also be listened to on BBC Radio Ulster and BBC Sounds, with Eric White in the studio alongside Loughgall boss Darren Murphy and Colin Coates, who captained Crusaders to two Irish Cup victories. Joel Taggart will be joined on commentary by Larne boss Gary Haveron and Liam Beckett, who won the Irish Cup as a player with Coleraine. Additionally, live text commentary with in-play clips will be available on the website, along with a report, highlights, and reaction after the final whistle. ## Road to the Final Dungannon began their Irish Cup defense with a routine 3-0 victory over Championship side Ards at Stangmore Park, courtesy of first-half goals from Sean McAllister, Junior, and Tiernan Kelly. Rodney McAree's side then came from behind in the sixth round to beat Portadown 2-1, with McAllister on the scoresheet again and Andrew Mitchell netting the winner. The Swifts saw off H&W Welders 3-0 to reach the last four, with goals from Steven Scott, Cahal McGinty, and Kobei Moore. In a repeat of the 2025 decider, Dungannon beat Cliftonville 4-1 on penalties to reach the final again, with goalkeeper Declan Dunne saving two spot kicks in the shootout. Coleraine, on the other hand, started their Irish Cup campaign with a 4-0 win over 10-man Crusaders at the Showgrounds in January. After Brendan Hamilton was sent off for the Crues, Mark Connolly, Will Patching, James Akitunde, and Joel Cooper all netted to secure a comfortable passage to the sixth round. Ruaidhri Higgins' men then required extra time to see off Carrick Rangers 4-1 at Taylors Avenue, with Matthew Shevlin coming off the bench to score a hat-trick to help them through. ## Form Guide Coleraine are the team in form heading into the decider, currently on a nine-game unbeaten run in all competitions. Higgins' side won all five games in the split, including a thumping final-day 6-2 win over Glentoran, which secured second place and European football for the club for the first time since 2022. The Bannsiders have won three of the four league meetings with the Swifts this season, including a 2-1 victory at Stangmore Park when the two sides last met in March. Their unbeaten run started after their 3-1 loss against McAree's side in February. In contrast, Dungannon endured a difficult end to their league campaign, finishing sixth without winning a game in the split. With an eye already on the Irish Cup final, McAree rotated his side in the last few league games, with a youthful team falling to an 8-0 final-day defeat to champions Larne at Inver Park. ## Coleraine's Chances Coleraine are back in an Irish Cup final for the first time in seven years and are aiming to end what has proved to be a good first season under Higgins on a high. While they missed out on the league title to Larne, the Bannsiders managed to pip Glentoran to second place and secure European football for next season. They also have a good chance to claim some silverware and head into this final as favorites given they look to have hit form at the right time. In Cooper and Shevlin, Coleraine have two ace marksmen that have been integral in this cup run and will look to finish the job on Saturday. With the likes of Ben Wylie and Will Patching also finding form and goals in recent weeks, Coleraine have quality all over the pitch and a deep squad that could prove to be key if the game goes the distance. ## Swifts' Ambition Dungannon Swifts will aim to follow the likes of Lisburn Distillery, Linfield, Cliftonville, Glentoran, Belfast Celtic, and Crusaders in winning back-to-back Irish Cups. They scaled new heights last year when they lifted the trophy for the very first time in dramatic fashion and will relish being the underdogs going into another final. The Swifts erased their penalty shootout agony from 2007's showpiece final against Linfield as they overcame Cliftonville on spot kicks to seal a famous victory for the County Tyrone side. McAree's side showed their mettle to keep going despite Shea Kearney canceling out John McGovern's first-half header and having to play for over an hour with 10 men after Steven Scott's dismissal. Dunne was the hero in the shootout, thwarting Luke Conlan with Kearney also missing as Gael Bigirimana, Leo Alves, Adam Glenny, and Brandon Bermingham all scored to help the Swifts to a dramatic first win.