2018-19 Season Review: January

THE New Year brings seven new arrivals at The Showgrounds as Coleraine got their Irish Cup defence underway…

Lowry celebrates after finding the net against Cliftonville on New Year’s Day.

The Stripes would welcome Cliftonville to the Ballycastle Road on New Year’s Day and knew that a win would propel them up to fifth position in the Danske Bank Premiership. Things got off to a great start as the hosts grabbed the lead on 20 minutes as Eoin Bradley fired home from close range. A great cross field pass from Adam Mullan found Jamie McGonigle in acres of space and he squared the ball across the box for Bradley to tap home. Moments later the home side doubled their lead as Ciaron Harkin put Stephen Lowry through on goal and the midfielder kept his composure to slot past Brush. The visitors did reduce the deficit on 69 minutes as Liam Bagnall found the bottom corner. A great run from Joe Gormley allowed the forward to tee up Bagnall who made no mistake with the finish. Coleraine put the game to bed via an unlikely source as Aaron Canning fired the ball high into the top corner. Cliftonville failed to clear their lines and were punished as the Coleraine full back thumped the ball home. The Bannsiders made it four on 88 minutes. James McLaughlin who was fresh off the bench as he went through on goal, rounded Richard Brush and slotted home in his first action of the game. It was later announced after the match that Ciaron Harkin would depart for Derry City, with Ben Doherty moving in the opposite direction.

The Bannsiders started their Irish Cup defence in a positive manner the following week as they enjoyed a comfortable 2-0 win over H&W Welders as an own goal and James McLaughlin’s strike booked Coleraine’s place in the sixth round. The fixture also provided competitive debuts to Jamie Glackin, Ben Doherty and Mark Edgar following their switches to The Showgrounds, with McAree’s troops drawn to face Dergview for a spot in the quarter-final.

Coleraine and Glenavon were forced to settle for a point as both sides produced an entertaining performance at a wind-swept Showgrounds. The Bannsiders were forced to wait until the 10th minute to carve out the first opportunity of the match as Jamie McGonigle’s cross-field ball found the run of Eoin Bradley. The striker took a neat first touch but blazed over. Four minutes later, Josh Carson would try his luck from distance but his effort failed to trouble Johnny Tuffey. The deadlock was broken on 20 minutes as Stephen Lowry’s shot was charged down by the alert Jamie Glackin who forced Tuffey into a stop. The ball presented itself to Bradley who converted from close range against his former employers. Gary Hamilton’s troops made a bright start to the second-half with the wind and tested Chris Johns on 49 minutes as hesitant defending allowed Murray to force Johns into an acrobatic stop. However, Johns would be beaten a minute later as Josh Daniels rolled the ball into the path of Niall Grace who arrowed an unstoppable strike into the top corner. At the death, Coleraine would win several corner kicks and Canning headed over with the final one as the Bannsiders rued missed chances.

Action from the 1-1 draw against Glenavon.

Bannsiders boss Rodney McAree was busy adding to his panel prior to the league fixture against Ards as Cormac Burke and Dylan Davidson joined the club from Dungannon Swifts and Glentoran respectively. On the pitch, Coleraine were largely second best against a team bottom of the league, but Josh Carson fired a late winner to steal all three points. The deadlock was broken on 34 minutes as Chris Johns’ goal kick was flicked on by Eoin Bradley into the path of Jamie Glackin. The winger cleverly found the run of Doherty who curled home his first goal in Coleraine colours. That lead would only last six minutes as Colin Nixon’s men restored parity on 39 minutes as Glackin was dispossessed by Michael Kerr inside the penalty area and he laid the ball into Gareth Tommons who sweeped home against his former side. Ards – who looked like a side in a far better position than the league table suggests – should have grabbed their second with 15 minutes remaining as Kym Nelson’s cross found its way to Cherry but he could only head against the crossbar from close range. There would be further frustration for the same player moments later as he headed wide with the goal at his mercy. On 90 minutes, the Stripes had goalkeeper Chris Johns to thank as he made a brilliant save to deny Eamon McAllister, with the linesman’s flag up to deny Mark Kelly after he fired into an empty net. There would be late drama in Bangor as Carson made an excellent midfield run from Bradley’s through ball to steer past Johnston and claim all three points.

Carson celebrates after his last gasp winner against Ards.

The final match of the month saw McAree’s old club Dungannon Swifts make the trip to the North Coast and they left with a well deserved win as Oisin Smyth’s deflected strike separated the two sides. On 24 minutes, the Bannsiders suffered a scare as a terrific free-kick delivery by Patton was headed over the crossbar by Chris Hegarty. There would be further frustration for the Swifts soon after as Hughes played in strike partner Paul McElroy but he elected to cross rather than shoot when well placed. However, the pressure finally paid dividends for the visitors on 32 minutes as a clever pass from Oisin Smyth found McElroy inside the area and he kept his composure to find the bottom corner. The home side responded and restored parity inside sixty seconds as Jamie Glackin’s cross was steered home by McGonigle for his 9th goal of the season. The second-half was barely three minutes old when Kris Lindsay’s side regained the advantage. Neat play between Alan Teggart and Smyth released McElroy inside the area and his cross was steered home by Smyth with the help of a deflection. The Irish Cup holders looked for another quick response and nearly found it on 55 minutes as the ball presented itself to McGonigle inside the area but Moore denied the striker with his legs as Coleraine were beaten at home.

Before the window slammed shut, there would be more arrivals as ex-Northern Ireland international Dean Shiels put pen-to-paper on an 18-month deal, with defender Dylan King also joining from Glenavon. There would be a blow as winger Darren McCauley departed for Scotland as he agreed a move with Inverness Caledonian Thistle.