By Peter Wilson at Inver Park
LARNE and Coleraine played out an entertaining Irish Cup quarter-final at Inver Park in front of the BBC cameras, with the Premiership side coming from behind to make the last four.
David McDaid scored all three of Larne’s goals while Eoin Bradley and Jamie McGonigle all got in on the act for the Bannsiders. The Invermen’s focus will now shift back to the Championship with the league leaders in touching distance of Premiership promotion while Coleraine take on Crusaders in the Irish Cup semi-finals later this month.
The momentum was with the home side early on; Lee Lynch chasing Ben Tilney’s long ball down the left wing and swinging a deep cross into the area but no-one could rise high enough to make a connection.
On 21 minutes, Lynch whipped in a dangerous cross with Chris Johns failing to hold the ball as he saved David McDaid’s header; the striker pouncing to tap in for 1-0.
The hosts could have made it 2-0 six minutes later; McDaid making a good run forward and trying to chip the ball high over the keeper but Johns was alert to his tactics.
It was just after half an hour when McDaid grabbed his second, getting on the end of Ben Tilney’s cross to stab the ball from close range.
The second half brought about a vastly improved Coleraine side with Eoin Bradley turning and fire past Conor Devlin on 60 minutes after the defence were too slow to react.
Coleraine came close to equalising soon after; Jamie McGonigle’s downward header edging past the near post.
The Bannsiders drew level with eight minutes of regular time to go; Bradley stroking home from 12 yards after Stephen Lowry was fouled in the area.
Yet two minutes later, it was Larne who regained the lead; Jeff Hughes turning neatly to find McDaid, who slotted home to make it 3-2.
In an extraordinary moment of late drama, McGonigle blasted past Devlin into the bottom corner with a half volley to force the game to extra time.
Early in the first period of extra time, it was the away side who took the lead for the first time in the game; Tilney putting the ball into his own net at the back post after Larne again failed to clear the danger.
With four minutes to go in the first half, Hughes blazed over a free-kick from 25 yards out.
McGonigle duly doubled Coleraine’s advantage with 115 minutes gone; smashing into the top corner after holding off a defender to seal Coleraine’s place in the semi-finals.
Larne: Devlin, Sule, Ramsey, McEleney, Kelly, McDaid (Stewart), Donnelly (Igiehon), Tilney (Scullion), Lynch, Cosgrove (Tear), Hughes
Unused subs: Dougherty, Stuart, Hassin
Coleraine: Johns, Lowry, Bradley, McConaghie, Burns (McLaughlin), O’Donnell, Canning, B. Doherty, Edgar (Mullan), Glackin (Carson), Shiels (McGonigle)
Unused subs: M. Doherty, Parkhill, King
Referee: Andrew Davey
Man of the Match: David McDaid (Larne)
What’s up next?
It’s back to Championship action for Larne next week as they host Ballinamallard United on Saturday 9 March (3pm).
By Peter Wilson at Inver Park
LARNE and Coleraine played out an entertaining Irish Cup quarter-final at Inver Park in front of the BBC cameras, with the Premiership side coming from behind to make the last four.
David McDaid scored all three of Larne’s goals while Eoin Bradley and Jamie McGonigle all got in on the act for the Bannsiders. The Invermen’s focus will now shift back to the Championship with the league leaders in touching distance of Premiership promotion while Coleraine take on Crusaders in the Irish Cup semi-finals later this month.
The momentum was with the home side early on; Lee Lynch chasing Ben Tilney’s long ball down the left wing and swinging a deep cross into the area but no-one could rise high enough to make a connection.
On 21 minutes, Lynch whipped in a dangerous cross with Chris Johns failing to hold the ball as he saved David McDaid’s header; the striker pouncing to tap in for 1-0.
The hosts could have made it 2-0 six minutes later; McDaid making a good run forward and trying to chip the ball high over the keeper but Johns was alert to his tactics.
It was just after half an hour when McDaid grabbed his second, getting on the end of Ben Tilney’s cross to stab the ball from close range.
The second half brought about a vastly improved Coleraine side with Eoin Bradley turning and fire past Conor Devlin on 60 minutes after the defence were too slow to react.
Coleraine came close to equalising soon after; Jamie McGonigle’s downward header edging past the near post.
The Bannsiders drew level with eight minutes of regular time to go; Bradley stroking home from 12 yards after Stephen Lowry was fouled in the area.
Yet two minutes later, it was Larne who regained the lead; Jeff Hughes turning neatly to find McDaid, who slotted home to make it 3-2.
In an extraordinary moment of late drama, McGonigle blasted past Devlin into the bottom corner with a half volley to force the game to extra time.
Early in the first period of extra time, it was the away side who took the lead for the first time in the game; Tilney putting the ball into his own net at the back post after Larne again failed to clear the danger.
With four minutes to go in the first half, Hughes blazed over a free-kick from 25 yards out.
McGonigle duly doubled Coleraine’s advantage with 115 minutes gone; smashing into the top corner after holding off a defender to seal Coleraine’s place in the semi-finals.
Larne: Devlin, Sule, Ramsey, McEleney, Kelly, McDaid (Stewart), Donnelly (Igiehon), Tilney (Scullion), Lynch, Cosgrove (Tear), Hughes
Unused subs: Dougherty, Stuart, Hassin
Coleraine: Johns, Lowry, Bradley, McConaghie, Burns (McLaughlin), O’Donnell (c), Canning, B. Doherty, Edgar (Mullan), Glackin (Carson), Shiels (McGonigle)
Unused subs: M. Doherty, Parkhill, King
Referee: Andrew Davey
Man of the Match; David McDaid (Larne)
What’s up next?
It’s back to Championship action for Larne next week as they host Ballinamallard United on Saturday 9 March (3pm).
Photo: Bill Guiller
