Dungannon Swifts have advanced to the Irish Premiership European play-off semi-final, with manager Rodney McAree crediting the character of his squad for their ability to move past a troubled run in cup competition.
McAree, speaking after the result, pointed to the professionalism of his players as the quality that allowed them to refocus, according to BBC Sport. The Swifts had endured a difficult period in knockout football prior to this fixture, and their progression will come as a significant boost to a club pushing for European qualification.
The Irish Premiership's European play-off system offers clubs outside the automatic continental places an additional route into European competition, making this semi-final berth a meaningful achievement for Dungannon. Swifts' reach this stage having demonstrated, in McAree's assessment, that a collective resilience has taken hold within the group.
There is a broader significance to how a side responds when results in one competition have not gone to plan. For smaller clubs in the Premiership, the margins between a positive end to a season and a forgettable one are narrow. Reaching the semi-final gives Dungannon the chance to define their campaign on their own terms.
No details on their semi-final opponent or the date of the fixture have yet been reported. What is clear is that McAree has reason to feel encouraged by what his side have shown in getting this far.