Carrick Rangers suffered a crushing defeat in their semi-final showdown against Dungannon, with the Swifts emerging victorious 3-1. The defeat will sting for a day or two, according to manager Stephen Baxter. The game swung on two referee decisions, with Baxter feeling that his team should have had a penalty in the first few minutes of the game and that the sending off of goalkeeper Nathan Gartside was harsh. Gartside was sent off for handling the ball outside his box, which put Carrick behind the eight ball. Despite creating some chances, Carrick were unable to find the back of the net, and the Swifts took advantage of their numerical superiority to score twice through Caolan Marron and Kealan Dillon. The defeat will be a tough pill to swallow for Carrick Rangers, who had been working all year to reach this point. According to Baxter, the team's hard work and dedication will be the key to bouncing back from this defeat. The club's doctor, physio, and staff have been working tirelessly to help the team achieve their goals, and Baxter is confident that they will be able to overcome this setback. The team will now focus on the County Antrim Shield, which they won in January, and will look to build on that success.