Match Action vs Larne

HIGHLIGHTS from the Bannsiders’ 3-2 win against Larne can now be viewed on the club’s official YouTube account…

The Bannsiders would reach the semi-final stage of the competition for a fourth successive year after coming from behind to defeat the hosts at Inver Park.

The first chance of the match would land at the feet of Martin Donnelly and the ex-Crusaders ace would take a strike at goal which deflected off Aaron Canning and rattle the crossbar. The best the Bannsiders could muster in the opening 45 minutes was a free-kick from Eoin Bradley that tested Conor Devlin.

However, the breakthrough would be broken on the stroke of half-time as Donnelly’s free-kick was headed into his own net by Lyndon Kane as Larne led at the interval.

Coleraine responded and found an equaliser as Bradley laid the ball into the path of James McLaughlin who fired a crisp effort into the bottom corner.

The two sides wouldn’t be level for long as Jeff Hughes regained Larne’s lead from another set-piece on 64 minutes, but back came Coleraine who levelled once again from the penalty spot as Stephen Lowry comfortably dispatched from 12 yards.

Just as the game looked destined for extra-time, the travelling support would be in raptures as Jamie Glackin’s flick-on released Eoin Bradley inside the area and he blasted the ball through the legs of Conor Devlin to send the Bannsiders into the last four.