The 19-year-old spectacularly volleyed a Damian Curran corner into the top right hand corner of Dwayne Nelson's goal just when it looked the Blues would stumble at the Co. Tyrone venue for the second successive season.

Indeed, the defending champions might have been forgiven for thinking it wasn't going to be their night when, right at the end of normal time, Michael Carvill thought he had blasted home the equaliser only for referee Adrian McCourt to rule the effort out offside.

The Swifts had led from the 35th minute when Rodney McAree converted a spot-kick awarded when Carvill adjudged to have stopped a free-kick with his arm.

And Harry Fay's side had a 'goal' of their own disallowed earlier in the game when Timmy Adamson also fell foul of the assistant referee's flag.

Adamson also had a goalbound effort cleared off the line by Noel Bailie as did Linfield's eventual saviour Burns when his low drive was kicked away by 'keeper Nelson.

Picture Gallery (click to enlarge) Pictures: William Cherry/PressEye