Bet McLean Cup Final: Early second half goals see Linfield to glory

It proved reasonably comfortable in the end for Linfield as they lifted the Bet McLean Cup with victory over Coleraine at Windsor Park.

When Joel Cooper slotted home a fine opener just five minutes into the second half, that put David Healy's side in the box seat and from then on, they never looked troubled.

When Chris Shields stroked in a penalty shortly after that, Coleraine were all but dead and buried.

It was far from a classic final in front of of a crowd of just over 11,000, on a par with last year's final.

Linfield began the brighter, with Cooper and Eetu Vertainen having opportunities on goal in the first period, without failing to trouble former Blues keeper Gareth Deane.

As the half wore on, Oran Kearney's Bannsiders grew into the game and after captain Stephen O'Donnell had looped a header onto the roof of the net, Dean Jarvis nodded wide at the back post.

With the deadlock still unbroken at the break, it took just five minutes after the restart for Linfield to go in front.

Play was broken up just inside the Coleraine half, with skipper Jamie Mulgrew finding Chris McKee, whi slid the ball through to Cooper inside the box.

With time to decide what finish to take, he coolly slotted the ball under Deane to make it 1-0. From then on, the Blues didn't look back.

They doubled their lead less than 10 minutes later when O'Donnell failed to see McKee closing him down on the edge of the box.

The Bannsiders skipper took to Linfield forward down and Referee Lee Tavinder had little hesitation in pointing to the spot.

Chris Shields stepped up to take the penalty, sidefooting down the middle as Deane dived to his left.

For the remainder of the tie, while Coleraine had more of the ball, they rarely threatened with any great intent, despite the best efforts of Jamie Glackin and Conor McKendry in particular.

A professional display from Linfield allowed them to see the tie out and through to another trophy.

MATCH STATS

LINFIELD: Johns, Finlayson, Roscoe, Callacher, M Clarke, Shields, Mulgrew (C), Millar, Vertainen (McClean 67), McKee (Devine 77), Cooper

Subs not used: Walsh (GK), Hall, Pepper, A Clarke, Palmer

COLERAINE: Deane, McDermott, D Jarvis, O'Donnell (C), Farren (McCrudden 74), Kane, Carson, Lynch (O'Mahony 70), Glackin, Shevlin, McKendry (A Jarvis 85)

Subs not used: Gallagher (GK), Mullan, Brown, Lowry

ATTENDANCE: 11, 038