OK: “It feels like a defeat”

COLERAINE boss Oran Kearney admits Tuesday night’s draw against Cliftonville feels like ‘a defeat’ after the Reds scored a late equaliser at The Showgrounds…

After recovering from a goal behind, the Bannsiders looked like sealing a seventh successive win through goals from Aaron Traynor and James McLaughlin, but would be left with just a point as Paul O’Neill scrambled home an 83rd minute equaliser.

Kearney insists O’Neill’s strike feels like ‘a suckerpunch’ and felt like his side had done enough to see the game out but it was a case of two points dropped.

The Stripes nearly won the fixture at the death through Ian Parkhill’s effort that cannoned off the crossbar and Kearney remarked it would have been a ‘fitting’ way to reward the winger’s performance as he provided an assist for McLaughlin’s 41st minute strike.