Goals from Joel Cooper and Matthew Shevlin helped Coleraine reach this year’s Clearer Water Irish Cup final.
Shevlin scored in extra time to give the Bannsiders a 2-1 win over Larne in an entertaining last four encounter at the Clearer Twist National Stadium at Windsor Park earlier today.
The first chance of the semi-final fell to Larne. Striker Andy Ryan produced a powerful strike which Coleraine keeper Ryan Schofield did well to push away.
And Schofield was quickly called into action again to push out a blaster from Sean Graham.
Larne made the early running, however it was Coleraine who opened the scoring in the 13th minute. Joel Cooper ran in behind the Larne defence, latched on to a clever pass from Will Patching and smashed the ball home. It was an emphatic finish.
On 27 minutes Patching fired a free-kick straight at Larne keeper Rohan Ferguson.
Both teams sprayed the ball about confidently, producing football that was easy on the eye.
In the 34th minute Larne thought they had equalised. Midfielder Chris Gallagher played in Matty Lusty, who rounded Schofield before tapping the ball into the net. However, the assistant referee had already raised his flag for an offside. It was a close call.
In added time Cooper tracked Larne defender Daniel Bent and nipped in ahead of him as he tried to guide the ball back to his keeper. Ferguson raced out of his area, got his foot to the ball and then appeared to tangle with Cooper. Referee Tony Clarke waved play on despite protests from the Coleraine players.
The first opportunity of the second half saw a header from Larne striker Ryan go over the top.
Man of the match Schofield pulled off another great save on 54 minutes. A wicked Tomas Cosgrove cross into the danger zone bounced off Coleraine midfielder Rowan McDonald and Schofield dived full length to push the ball away.
Larne equalised on 62 minutes. A low cross into the area by Jordan McEneff found Lusty seven yards out. The winger’s initial effort was blocked by McDonald but he pounced on the loose ball and tucked it into the bottom corner.
Moments later Ryan cut inside and curled a shot over the crossbar. Then Coleraine’s Patching scooped a free-kick over the bar at the other end.
Coleraine substitute Matthew Shevlin cleverly powered his way into the Larne area but he elected to pass when he probably should have had a shot on goal.
Larne then had a chance at the other end. Aaron Donnelly’s crisp goal-bound strike was blocked by Charles Dunne. Minutes later a Matt Ridley header was clutched by Schofield.
Coleraine substitute Zane Okoro found space inside the Larne area, however Ridley showed his defensive qualities with a timely intervention.
Deep into added time at the end of the second half a Dean Jarvis cross reached Shevlin whose header was not strong enough to trouble Ferguson.
It was very cagey in the first period of extra time. At the end of it though Ferguson had to be alert to thwart Shevlin, who rolled away from Ridley before unleashing a shot, as well as a follow-up effort from Cooper.
Cameron Stewart, who had a fine game alongside Dunne at the heart of the Coleraine defence, produced an excellent tackle to stop Larne substitute Tiarnan O’Connor from running in on goal.
Coleraine edged in front in the 112th minute. Substitute Dylan Boyle slipped the ball to Mark Coyle and he whipped a superb cross into the area. Ferguson came off his line but missed the ball, which bounced off the turf, hit Shevlin’s head and ended up in the net.
And with that goal the Bannsiders had done enough to book their place in the 2 May final against holders Dungannon Swifts.
Coleraine: Ryan Schofield, Lyndon Kane (captain), Cameron Stewart, Charles Dunne, Dean Jarvis, Mark Coyle, Rowan McDonald, Ben Wylie, Will Patching, Jamie Glackin, Joel Cooper.
Substitutes: (used) Matthew Shevlin, Dylan Boyle, Zane Okoro, Mark Connolly, Senan Devine; (unused) Lewis Webb (GK), Jamie McGonigle.
Larne: Rohan Ferguson, Tomas Cosgrove, Daniel Bent, Matthew Ridley, Aaron Donnelly, Sean Graham, Chris Gallagher, Ronan Doherty, Jordan McEneff, Matty Lusty, Andy Ryan.
Substitutes: (used) Tiarnan O’Connor, Mark Randall, James Simpson, Conor McKendry, Benji Magee; (unused) Dylan Graham (GK), Ryan Nolan.
Main image: Coleraine scorers Joel Cooper (left) and Matthew Shevlin celebrate at the final whistle.
Action from National Stadium
