Fine margins cost us – OK

COLERAINE boss Oran Kearney believes ‘fine margins’ went against his side as they were beaten by Larne last night…

The Bannsiders would lead 2-1 with twenty minutes to go at Inver Park but three goals from the hosts would leave Kearney’s men empty handed.

The boss reflected that the tide turned after referee Andrew Davey elected to book Davy McDaid following a lunging tackle on Aaron Traynor, with the same player going on to bag the equaliser.

“I thought we acquitted ourselves fantastically well,” he said.

“We had a slight change in shape and personnel but I thought to a man we were really good.

“I felt harshly done by at half time as I don’t think we deserved to be behind.

“In saying that I don’t know if we deserved to be in front at the start of the second half because I didn’t think we had played as well as we did in the first half yet we got our goals.

“The big flash point is obviously the McDaid tackle.

“It’s right in front of us and for me it’s a red.

“The big frustration for us is he not only stays on the pitch but he goes on to score the equaliser.

“It was two really top quality sides out there and in games of that magnitude it comes down to fine margins, and sadly that has hurt us tonight.”

Kearney admits he was left frustrated with the manner of the goals his side conceded but knows they have what it takes to compete against all the sides in the Danske Bank Premiership.

“The first goal is very frustrating because we do a lot of work on set pieces and its basic jobs to try and mark men,” he added.

“The second one is just a header back across and a second ball.

“The third was a half sliced clearance and to be fair to Ben is a decent strike with not a lot to play with.

“We know he has that in his locker.

“We threw on three strikers at the end knowing that there was going to be a bit of extra time after the melee, but you leave it wide open at that point in time.

“The big thing for us we would have been 2-1 up if they had gone down to ten and you would have had to back us to go on and win the game.

“We have to compete with these sides.

“I’ve no problem saying it we had a couple of victories up here when we had no choice but to be smash and grab.

“But tonight for the first 60-70 minutes I thought we played some really good stuff, we adjusted as to how we’re going to have to go about things and we looked really good for it.

“While emotions are raw at the minute it’s hard to see the positives but as the dust settles there’s plenty to work on.

“It’s a difficult league full of good teams.

“You also got Crusaders, Cliftonville, Ballymena and Glenavon.

“Carrick have strengthened fantastically, so have Warrenpoint, but you could go through the whole league and look at the issues you’ll have with every team.

“It’s great for the league and the standard of the league in general.”

The boss was quick to praise Matthew Shevlin for his goalscoring contribution, as well as Conor McKendry who made his competitive debut for the club.

“Matthew deserved his goal for his endeavour,” he continued.

“He’d be the first to tell you he has a lot to learn, but that raw enthusiasm he has is useful.

“And on a night when there’s big miles needed, his fitness levels were superb.

“Conor has a huge amount of potential.

“Credit to him he has made the step from Larne to come to us, possibly if he hadn’t he would have been sitting on the bench watching the game.

“He knows the only way to develop is to get on the pitch and learn and play.

“He’ll be stronger for that tonight and I thought he showed a lot of good qualities that we’ll be able to tap into moving forward.”

The transfer window closes on August 31 and Kearney insists he is keeping his options open in terms of further arrivals at The Showgrounds.

“We’re always looking for good players but it’s hard to get business done,” he concluded.

“It’s been well documented this summer the type of player we would like to go for, but they are hard to come by as well.

“We have to be selective and stuck in our ways because we’re not willing to go for second or third.

“We’ve plenty of plates spinning but they’re hard to get over the line.”