“Fans return was refreshing” – OK

COLERAINE boss Oran Kearney admits he couldn’t have asked for anything more from his players as they were held to a 1-1 draw by Linfield at The Showgrounds…

The Bannsiders knew that they needed to pocket all three points from the visit of the Blues to take the fight for the Gibson Cup until the final day but they couldn’t find an elusive second goal after Curtis Allen’s header cancelled out Mark Haughey’s opener.

Kearney was full of praise for the performance and the response of his players to going a goal behind, as well as saying the return of supporters was excellent as 500 fans flocked into The Showgrounds.

The Bannsiders secured European football for next season before a ball was kicked last night and Kearney insists the players deserve another shot at competing in the competition as they battled through a difficult start to the campaign.

The fixture was the final game to be played on the grass for the foreseeable future as the Bannsiders will install a 4G pitch for the start of the 2021/22 campaign and Kearney highlighted the importance that the new surface will have for the entire community.

Coleraine finish their season with a trip to Larne on Saturday evening and Kearney has challenged his squad to finish as high in the league as possible.