COLERAINE bagged their spot in the Irish Cup final as Matthew Shevlin’s extra-time goal edged out Larne at Windsor Park…
Date:
Saturday, April 4, 2026
Result:
Coleraine 2-1 Larne
Goals – Cooper (13 mins) & Shevlin (‘112 mins); Larne 1 (Lusty ’62 mins)
Report:
COLERAINE secured their spot in next month’s Irish Cup final after an extra-time win against Larne at Windsor Park.
Ruaidhri Higgins made three changes from last weekend’s victory at Dungannon Swifts as Dean Jarvis replaced the suspended Levi Ives, whilst Cameron Stewart and Rowan McDonald were also drafted in.
In front of a good crowd in the capital, Coleraine stopper Ryan Schofield was twice called into action in the opening ten minutes as he showed great reflexes to first deny Andy Ryan and then Sean Graham soon after with shots outside the box.
However, Coleraine made the breakthrough on 13 minutes through a fine team goal. A pass by Stewart found Will Patching and the midfielder slipped a superb ball into the path of Joel Cooper who made no mistake with a clinical finish.
Patching, who has proved his capabilities from set-pieces throughout the campaign, tried his luck just before the half hour with a free-kick but Rohan Ferguson was there to make a comfortable save.
Larne thought they had equalised just before the half-time whistle when Matthew Lusty finished beyond Schofield but the striker was denied by the linesman’s flag for offside.
The Invermen carved out the first two opportunities after the restart when Ryan was unable to direct Graham’s shot on target, before Schofield produced even more heroics to somehow claw the ball from going over the line for a McDonald own goal.
But Larne did draw level on 62 minutes as Jordan McEneff’s cross from the right-hand side managed to find its way to Lusty who buried a low drive into the net.
Just after Ryan curled an attempt over the bar from range, Patching once again looked to profit from a free-kick but his shot from the edge of the box failed to trouble Ferguson.
Coleraine finished the regulation 90 minutes strongly and failed to make the most of promising situations when Matthew Shevlin elected to pass rather than shoot when through on goal, with Zane Okoro also having a goalbound effort blocked by Matt Ridley.
The last four tie required extra-time and Coleraine spurned two big chances to take the lead in the opening period when Patching’s long ball released the run of Shevlin. The striker managed to evade his marker but could only strike straight at Ferguson, with Cooper’s follow-up also being saved by the body of the ‘keeper.
But Coleraine managed to find the decisive winner on 112 minutes as Coyle’s first time cross into the box picked out Shevlin and he duly obliged for his 20th goal of the campaign in all competitions.
Higgins’ men held on to secure an Irish Cup final date against Dungannon Swifts on May 2.
Line-ups:
COLERAINE: Schofield, Kane, Jarvis, Patching, Cooper (Devine ‘108 mins), Glackin (Shevlin ‘66 mins), Dunne (Connolly ‘81 mins), Stewart, McDonald (Boyle ‘68 mins), Wylie (Okoro ‘81 mins), Coyle.
Subs Not Used: Webb (GK), McGonigle.
LARNE: Ferguson, Ridley, Donnelly, Gallagher, Graham, Doherty (Simpson ‘91 mins), McEneff (Randall ‘91 mins), Cosgrove, Bent (Magee ‘113 mins), Ryan (McKendry ‘101 mins), Lusty (O’Connor ‘84 mins).
Subs Not Used: Graham (GK), Magee, Nolan.