After guiding Dungannon to their first-ever Irish Cup success final season, plus securing a top-six place within the league and European soccer, Swifts supervisor Rodney McAree doesn’t give the impression of a person who’s pleased to relaxation on his laurels.

The Stangmore membership’s 4-3 penalty shootout win over Cliftonville within the showpiece decider at Windsor Park final Might sparked big celebrations amongst all linked with the county Tyrone outfit.

Now the Dungannon boss is eyeing a attainable retention of the trophy as his facet put together to start the defence of the cup at dwelling to Championship facet Ards on Saturday.

“It is thrilling, it is unusual occasions for Dungannon Swifts to be getting in as holders of the cup,” stated McAree.

“We look ahead to it, it may be a difficult sport, a troublesome match, however one which we consider we are able to win, and we wish to progress and we wish to attempt to begin to dream once more.

“We’ll embrace the problem. To win it final yr was unbelievable, exceptional, however we wish to attempt to do it once more.

“When you style that degree of success then you definitely wish to style it much more than we have now finished up to now. We received the League Cup in 2018 and once you achieved that the subsequent factor you wished to win was the Irish Cup.”