Davy Adair resigned at the start of 1977/78 season for undisclosed reasons and was replaced on a caretaker basis by Club Secretary Peter Vannucci. Beset with injury problems, the Swifts league form stuttered and, for the first time, the lst.XI were faced with the prospect of relegation as the North Down League had established a second division. An upturn in form saw the league position improve and the lst. XI made their first and only entry in the North Down League’s Honours list when they reached the Final of the K.O. Ralston Cup.

Having guided the team to the Final, Peter Vannucci unselfishly stood down as Manager to make way for the return of Stewarty Melville. A motivational team talk and the inspirational move of providing freshly cut oranges at half-time were not enough to overcome the other finalists, Cregagh Y.C. The Belfast side won took the Ralston Cup with a 3-0 victory at Comber’s Parkway pitch and went on to win the double that season.

The team which represented the Swifts on their first major final were ... Oliver Fox, Archie Walls, Brendan McBrien, Kevin McBrien, Trevor Melville, Roy Booth, Ricky McAlorum, Frankie Quinn, Paul Walls, John Foster, Seamus Bowler and (sub) Colin Jones.