COLERAINE progressed into the semi-final of the North-West Senior Cup after a comfortable victory against Dergview...
Ruaidhri Higgins vowed to field a strong team for the contest and it proved to be that way as first-team regulars Dean Jarvis, Cameron Stewart, Lewis McGregor, Levi Ives, Jay Henderson and Oli Devlin started, with Finn Tonks also being handed his debut alongside 'keeper Zak Robinson.
Dergview, who travelled to The Showgrounds after beating Oxford Sunnyside in the National Conference, threatened first when Corey McLaughlin's shot from distance was held by Robinson.
Coleraine quickly got into the groove and struck first on 10 minutes through two Scotsmen. A through ball by McGregor was on the money for Henderson and his delightful lob sailed over the head of Leannan McCann.
The Bannsiders were then creating chances at will as Jarvis' rasping drive was palmed away, before McCann spared the blushes of his team-mate as he clawed away McGregor's deflected cross.
However, the pressure finally yielded a second goal as McGregor was once again instrumental. A fine move down the right-hand side saw the winger centre the ball for Devlin to smash home from close range.
Just after the half hour mark, McGregor then turned from goal provider to goal scorer as he made it 3-0. The speedster received the ball from Henderson and his shot from inside the box sailed beyond the reach of McCann and into the back of the net.
But the half ended with Henderson taking centre-stage as he netted twice within a three-minute spell to complete his hat-trick. It all started with a close-range strike after Ives' cross wasn't cleared, with the match ball then being secured as he sprinted onto a through ball to finish with ease.
Higgins' men started the second half on the front foot and went within a lick of paint of making it 6-0 as McGregor's stunning strike from distance clipped the top of the bar with McCann rooted to the spot.
To their credit, Dergview kept plugging away and pulled a goal back when a dangerous free-kick delivery was punched clear by Robinson, but unfortunately for the custodian, the ball came back off a Dergview player and into the net.
The rhythm of the game was then disrupted for both teams due to substitutions as youngsters Charlie Patton, Keelan Walker, Isaac Cowan and Casey Mullan were all given game time.
Chances were at a premium from there on in as the Bannsiders secured their spot in the last four draw.
COLERAINE: Robinson, Jarvis (Mullan '70 mins), Stewart (Patton '67 mins), McGregor, Ives (Cowan '40 mins), Henderson (Walker '46 mins), Devlin, McHugh, McCourt, Tonks, Campbell.
Subs Not Used: Webb (GK), Mullan.
DERGVIEW: McCann, Warnock, A. McLaughlin, C. McLaughlin, T. McLaughlin (Vennard '68 mins), McGurk (McGuinness '46 mins), Malone, J. McLaughlin (Crook '68 mins), Long (McKeown '46 mins), McElhatton, Olphert (Campbell '58 mins).
Subs Not Used: Doherty (GK), Mbuli.
Referee: Declan Hassan