2018-19 Season Review: April/May

COLERAINE would miss out on the chance of qualifying for Europe for a third successive season as they were controversially beaten by Cliftonville in the semi-final of the European play-offs…

McLaughlin scored on 100th appearance for the club as they were beaten 4-2 by Cliftonville.

The Bannsiders would commence their post-split fixtures with a visit to Solitude to face Cliftonville, knowing that a win would move them level on points with Paddy McLaughlin’s side. Things got off to a good start as Coleraine took the lead on nine minutes with their first meaningful attack as Cormac Burke and Ian Parkhill combined to tee-up Steven Douglas. The defender looked up and squared the ball across the box for Jamie McGonigle to fire home from close range. Disappointingly for the visitors that advantage would only last four minutes as Cliftonville levelled the scores. The alert Ryan Curran robbed Dean Shiels in the middle of the park and spread the ball out to Rory Donnelly who dispatched past Chris Johns. On 19 minutes, Coleraine grabbed their second as Adam Mullan played a neat pass into the path of Parkhill. The Ballymoney man looked up and found McGonigle inside the area and his shot was deflected into the net by James McLaughlin who was making his 100th appearance in Coleraine colours. Once again Paddy McLaughlin’s side would draw level on 37 minutes as Gormley showed neat foot work inside the area and found Ryan Curran who had a simple task of slotting into an empty net. Remarkably, the Reds would take a half-time lead as Aaron Harkin’s corner-kick was headed home by Jaimie Harney at the back post. After surviving an early second-half onslaught, Coleraine steadied the ship there after and thought they had grabbed an equaliser on 54 minutes as Parkhill bombed forward and smashed the post from distance. Two minutes later, a fantastic pass by Gareth McConaghie released McGonigle but his first touch let him down when clean through on goal. The Stripes should have found the back of the net on 72 minutes as a long free-kick from Ben Doherty met the head of Stephen O’Donnell but he failed to find the target. There would be one final chance for the Bannsiders to take a share of the spoils on 88 minutes as a clever pass from Dean Shiels found McGonigle inside the area, but the former Northern Ireland under-21 international was thwarted after a tremendous save by Brush. The Reds sealed all three points on 90 minutes as substitute Thomas Maguire was brought down inside the area by O’Donnell. Ryan Curran stepped up and drilled his penalty straight down the middle to condemn Coleraine to a third successive defeat.

A terrific late strike from Ben Doherty salvaged a deserved point for Coleraine at a wind swept Mourneview Park. The visitors were given the perfect opportunity to take the lead on eight minutes after Jamie McGonigle was tripped inside the area by Glenavon defender Eoin Wearen. McGonigle stepped up but his low drive was kept out by Johnny Tuffey. The Stripes were playing with the wind in the first-half and Tuffey was once again called into action to keep McLaughlin’s free-kick at bay, before a neat passage of play resulted in Cormac Burke sending a shot narrowly wide. Both sides were finding it difficult to manage the difficult conditions, but referee Keith Kennedy pointed to the spot just after the hour mark for a second time as Steven Douglas was adjudged to have fouled Stephen Murray inside the box. Coleraine protested the decision as it looked extremely soft but Sammy Clingan kept his cool to find the back of the net. Bannsiders boss Rodney McAree shuffled his pack in the second-half by bringing on Eoin Bradley, Josh Carson and Jamie Glackin, with the latter coming ever so close to equalising as he fired a shot off the crossbar on 89 minutes. However, parity was restored from the resulting period of play as Adam Mullan picked out Doherty at the edge of the area, and the former Glenavon man fired home a delightful low effort into the bottom corner for his fourth goal since joining the club in January.

Doherty celebrates after firing in the equaliser against Glenavon.

Coleraine suffered a derby day defeat as Leroy Millar’s first-half finish was enough to separate the two sides in a low key affair at the Ballymena Showgrounds. The Braidmen hit the front with the first real attacking phase of play as Millar picked up possession at the edge of the box before hitting a curling effort inside the net via the post on six minutes. Coleraine responded and thought they had levelled matters on 12 minutes as Ben Doherty’s inswinging corner kick was headed inches wide by Jamie McGonigle. A minute later, neat footwork by McGonigle presented the striker with space for a shot which was well saved by Ross Glendinning. United should have doubled their lead on 50 minutes as the ball presented itself to Johnny McMurray inside the area but the marksman could only fire over the crossbar. On the hour mark, it was a case of deja-vu as a cross found Andy McGrory six yards out, but he failed to find the target. It was one way traffic as the home side had a goal disallowed for offside after Chris Johns made a world class save to deny Adam Lecky, before the linesman ruled out McGrory’s follow-up. On 74 minutes, Tony Kane saw his daisy cutter flash inches wide, with the resulting corner-kick being headed onto the top of the bar by Jonny Addis. The visitors couldn’t get going in the second-half as they fell to a defeat on Warden Street.

A man of the match performance by Jamie McGonigle as he scored his first hat-trick in senior football.

Coleraine would record their first win in six games as Jamie McGonigle’s hat-trick helped the Bannsiders to all three points against Crusaders. The hosts hit the front on 26 minutes as former Crusaders midfielder Jamie Glackin showed neat foot work on the byline and crossed for McGonigle who chested into the net from close range. It wouldn’t be long before Coleraine fans would celebrate again as they added a second seven minutes later after a superb cross field pass by James McLaughlin found McGonigle and he rifled home his second of the game. Crusaders got themselves back into the game on 39 minutes as Jordan Forsythe cut inside and his lobbed pass released full-back Michael Ruddy who slotted home past Johns. Remarkably, they nearly tied the scores before the half-time whistle as David Cushley’s thunderous free-kick forced Johns into a stop. The home side threatened on 57 minutes as McGonigle cut inside and fired an effort wide, but the two goal cushion was restored two minutes later as Burke’s long range effort was deflected into the net by Glackin for his first goal in Coleraine colours. The drama continued as Crusaders were awarded a penalty four minutes later as Paul Heatley was tripped inside the area by Ben Doherty. The ice cool David Cushley stepped up and sent Johns the wrong way to reduce the arrears to a single goal. Incredibly the goals kept on coming as McGonigle grabbed the match ball on 66 minutes as the former Northern Ireland under-21 international let fly with a 35-yard free-kick that deceived ‘keeper Harry Doherty. It would be the Dungiven man’s first senior hat trick and took his tally to 12 goals in his last 20 games against Stephen Baxter’s side. Crusaders pushed for a way back into the game but Ruddy’s audacious effort was as good as they got, with McGonigle denied a fourth goal off the line as Coleraine ran out victors.

Coleraine and Linfield concluded their Danske Bank Premiership campaigns with an entertaining 1-1 draw at The Showgrounds. The Stripes would squander a glorious opportunity on 20 minutes as a long, surging run from Jamie Glackin resulted in the ball landing to Parkhill inside the area, but the Ballymoney man failed to hit the target. Nine minutes later, Parkhill would threaten once again as he forced Conor Mitchell into a save after latching onto Mark Edgar’s delivery. However, the deadlock was broken on 34 minutes and in fine style as Davidson robbed his marker before rocketing home from 25 yards with an unstoppable effort – his first for the club since joining from Glentoran in the January transfer window. Rodney McAree’s men were on the ascendancy and wanted to grab a vital second and had chances through Burke, Ben Doherty and Davidson, but they all failed to find the back of the net before the half-time whistle. After Parkhill went inches away from doubling the Stripes’ lead, the crossbar was shaking on 80 minutes as Doherty’s inswinging corner kick was met by the head of Linfield defender Jimmy Callacher who almost directed the ball into his own net. On 83 minutes, David Healy’s men should have drew level as Marek Cervenka burst into the box and he squared for Reynolds who somehow couldn’t convert from close range. However, Reynolds wouldn’t make the same mistake five minutes later as he executed a well hit half volley that sailed into the net.

Coleraine’s chances of qualifying for Europe for a third successive year were ended as Cliftonville ran out 5-3 winners at Solitude. On nine minutes the deadlock was broken as a fantastic delivery from Jamie Glackin found the head of McLaughlin and the striker nodded past Richard Brush with the help of the crossbar. That lead was almost doubled on 27 minutes as Jamie McGonigle received the ball, skipped past two challenges, but his well driven volley was straight at Brush. However, just a minute later, the advantage was stretched even further as Adam Mullan’s deep cross was once again met by the head of McLaughlin who expertly found the bottom corner. The Reds responded as Donnelly headed over from Ives’ cross, but they reduced the arrears on 34 minutes as a poor clearance from Johns was closed down by Ryan Curran and Joe Gormley profited from close range. Against the run of play, Rodney McAree’s troops grabbed a third on 72 minutes as a deep cross found McLaughin who headed the ball up in the air and hit a superb overhead kick for his hat-trick. Two minutes later, it was almost 4-1 as McLaughlin had an effort blocked off the line, with Josh Carson’s rebound also being hooked clear by Ives. Amazingly, the two goal cushion didn’t last long as an alert Gormley released McMenamin inside the area and the attacker steered the ball into the bottom corner beyond the reach of Johns to narrow the gap once again. Just when it looked like Coleraine had done enough to reach the final, referee Steven Gregg pointed to the spot as Carson was adjudged to have fouled Ryan Curran inside the area. After several minutes of protestations, the same player stepped up and drilled a penalty low into the bottom corner. The extra-time period was barely two minutes old when Cliftonville hit the front for the very first time as the lively Ives picked up possession 20 yards from goal and his daisy cutter found the bottom corner. The game should have been put to bed on 105 minutes as a clearance found Gormley unmarked but the league’s top scorer could only hit straight at Johns from five yards out. As Coleraine pushed forward in a bid to send the game into spot kicks, the Reds scored a decisive fifth as Gormley released the run of McMenamin who was through on goal and the ex-Warrenpoint Town man coolly rounded Johns and slotted into an empty net.

The Bannsiders would lose 5-3 at Solitude in the semi-final of the Europa League play-off.