Last Time Out

Last Time Out

CONOR McMenamin would strike a late winner as Coleraine left The Oval empty handed back in January…

Date:

Tuesday, January 25, 2022

Result:

Glentoran 2-1 Coleraine

Goals – O’Connor (’29 mins), McMenamin (’89 mins); O’Donnell (’72 mins)

Report: 

COLERAINE would suffer their first league defeat at The Oval since March 2016 as Conor McMenamin struck a 90th minute winner for the hosts.

The Stripes would make only change to their starting eleven as Conor McKendry started at the expense of Curtis Allen, with Coleraine having the first chance of the game on five minutes. A corner kick into the box by Jamie Glackin was flicked on by Aaron Jarvis into the path of Josh Carson who saw his low strike gathered by Aaron McCarey.

Glentoran – who had two eye catching victories in North Belfast heading to the fixture – carved out their first opportunity four minutes later as Sean Murray released the run of Robbie McDaid who blazed over from an acute angle. The same player would have a sight of goal on 20 minutes but his effort never looked like troubling Gareth Deane.

However, the deadlock was broken on 29 minutes as the lively McDaid whipped in a dangerous cross from the right-hand side and Michael O’Connor used every inch of his body to stab the ball home via the crossbar.

The Glens would enjoy plenty of possession before the half-time whistle but failed to make their dominance with the ball count before the interval.

The second-half started with the Glens on the front foot as Deane had to be alert to keep out McDaid’s daisy cutter, before Stephen O’Donnell was in the right place at the right time to clear away O’Connor’s effort off the line.

Oran Kearney shuffled his pack on the hour mark by bringing on Matthew Shevlin and Curtis Allen, with the Bannsiders enjoying more possession and territory. That would be rewarded on 73 minutes as Coleraine drew level as Stephen O’Donnell headed home his first goal of the season from Conor McKendry’s corner kick.

The game started to flow end to end and Glentoran would threaten would just five minutes to go as Seanan Clucas fired over from the edge of the area.

However, there would be late drama to the game as Glentoran found a winner on 90 minutes as a free-kick into the area wasn’t cleared and Conor McMenamin bundled the ball home.

Line-ups:

GLENTORAN: McCarey, Burns, Marshall, McDaid, Murray, McClean, Clucas, O’Connor (McCartan ’66 mins), Marron, McMenamin, Plum.

Subs Not Used: Glendinning (GK), Kane, Mitchell, Smith, Cushnie, Jenkins

COLERAINE: Deane, Kane, Mullan (Shevlin ’60 mins), Brown, Jarvis, McKendry, Lowry, McLaughlin (Allen ’60 mins), Carson, O’Donnell, Glackin.

Subs Not Used: Gallagher (GK), Wilson, Parkhill, Traynor, Kelly.

Referee:

Shane Andrews