Farren anticipating derby edge

KIERAN Farren admits he is hoping for a prolonged period on the pitch after making his comeback from injury in recent weeks…

The big defender had been struggling since pre-season with a couple of knocks but made his return to the starting eleven late last month.

The Donegal native starred in last weekend’s win against Crusaders and helped to preserve a clean sheet as he twice denied Paul Heatley with goal line clearances as the Stripes ran out 2-0 victors.

Now that he is back in the groove, it is unsurprising to read that Farren is aiming to make up for lost time.

“Whenever we score goals, it’s a collective effort and it’s the same when we keep a clean sheet,” he told Coleraine TV after Saturday’s win at Seaview.

“It’s important, especially us defenders, to keep a clean sheet and it’s as good as scoring goals, so it’s definitely a big plus for the challenges ahead.

“It’s been frustrating but that’s part and parcel of football.

“I’m trying to train hard now to stay as fit for as long as possible.

“There have been a few frustrating ones but thankfully I’m back on the pitch and happy.”

Coleraine go in search of reaching the quarter-final stage of the BetMcLean Cup this evening as they visit Ballymena United.

Kearney’s men lost the last derby match against their rivals as Matthew Shevlin’s dismissal compounded matters in a 3-1 defeat on Warden Street.

“It’s a derby game so we will have to go into it with that little bit of edge,” Farren acknowledged.

“We’ll treat it like every other game, prepare properly and have a quiet weekend.

“We will go into Tuesday night with perhaps a little eye on getting one back because we felt we didn’t deserve what happened last time.

“Hopefully we can get a positive result and bounce on.”