Overview
- Linfield beat Dungannon Swifts 3-1 at Windsor Park on Tuesday in the Irish Premiership European play-off final, with Matthew Fitzpatrick scoring all three.
- The victory puts Linfield into the first qualifying round of next season's UEFA Conference League, which is the pathway Northern Irish clubs use to reach European competition.
- The win also brought home the reinstated Ulster Cup given to the play-off winners, adding to the BetMcLean Cup in a season they finished 17 points behind champions Larne.
- Dungannon manager Rodney McAree called the match "a step too far" after his team played a quarter-final and a semi-final within seven days of the Irish Cup final.
- He said a growing resource gap was clear as all four full-time teams qualified for Europe, and he noted Linfield entered the decider after a 17-day break.