Linfield victorious in Charity Shield Final

By Aaron O'Neill

It was Linfield who lifted the Action Mental Health Charity Shield after Saturday’s final at The Oval.

David Healy’s side enjoyed a 3-1 win over Coleraine.

The Blues had enjoyed previous success over the Bannsiders as they won 3-0 in May’s Tennent’s Irish Cup Final. The 2016/17 season was highly successful for David Healy’s side.

The Blues enjoyed a league and cup double as well as lifting the County Antrim Shield and Saturday’s charity shield final seen them hit the ground running ahead of the new Danske Bank Premiership campaign.

Linfield started the brighter of the two sides and Coleraine were lucky not to be behind after three minutes. Paul Smyth’s corner was met by the head of Aaron Burn’s but his header flashed wide of the post.

Coleraine responded with a chance of their own on 9 minutes, some neat footwork out on the wing from Jamie McGonigle seen him skip past his man before firing the ball to the back post, the ball fell to McCauley but his rasping volley went wide of the far post.

On 15 minutes Coleraine goalkeeper, Chris Johns was called into action to tip Jordan Stewarts header around the post. The ex-Glentoran and Swindon Town player latched onto Smyth’s cross but his header failed to find the back of the net. Moments later Linfield nearly went ahead after a bizarre mixup in the Coleraine defence.

John’s clearance was blocked by Smyth and the ball looked as though it was headed into the back of the net. The Coleraine keeper raced back to his line whilst Smyth pursued the ball but could only manage to drag his effort wide of the near post.

Coleraine absorbed the waves of Linfield pressure and seemed to come into their own midway through the first half. Summer signing Stephen O’Donnell and forward Eoin Bradley both had attempts but their efforts failed to find the target.

The Bannsiders pressure paid off as they took the lead on 33 minutes. The instrumental McGonigle robbed Haughey before some neat footwork seen him crossing the ball low into the box. As the Coleraine faithful waited in anticipation, up popped ex-Linfield man, Josh Carson, to poke the ball home and give Coleraine the advantage.

On 38 minutes the scores were level as Aaron Burns scored for Linfield. The forward had a number of chances but failed to find the back of the net. Some tidy link-up play between Quinn and Stewart found Burns free in the box and the forward made no mistake of poking the ball into the roof of the net from six yards.

The goal seemed to spur Linfield into life as they had a few chances to go ahead on the stroke of half-time. Burns again had the chance to score and give his side the advantage but the lively forward was denied by a last ditch tackle from Coleraine centre half Stephen O’Donnell. As the half-time whistle sounded it remained even at The Oval.

The second-half kicked off with little to report in the opening few minutes. Both sides looked to keep possession in order to regain their composure after the half-time pep talks. Aaron Traynor had a half chance to put Coleraine in front but his effort couldn’t find its way into the back of the net.

Linfield had a chance of their own n 56 minutes as Jamie Mulgrew’s neat pass found Smyth bearing down on goal with only the keeper to beat, however the Bannsiders had O’Donnell to thank as the defender sprinted back to put in a smart tackle which denied a certain goal.

On 64 minutes Linfield threatened again as Haughey’s deep cross deflected off winger Paul Smyth and the post before being cleared away to safety. The Bannsiders went close on 72 minutes from a free-kick. A lovely delivery from McCauley found O’Donnell at the near post but his header flashed narrowly wide.

Linfield took the lead on 74 minutes after a great finish from substitute Andrew Mitchell. Kirk Millar’s cross found Mitchell at the back post and he was on hand to volley the ball into the back of the net giving his side a 2-1 lead. Paul Smyth extended his sides lead on 79 minutes. Millar’s chipped through ball fell to Smyth who lofted the ball over the advancing Johns and into the back of the net to make it 3-1 to Linfield.

Coleraine searched for a way back into the game but couldn’t seem to find that crucial goal. The game petered out at The Oval with nothing much to report in the closing minutes with Linfield the eventual winners of the Action Mental Health Charity Shield.

LINFIELD: Carroll, Stafford, Haughey (Robinson ’45), Lowry (Garrett ’67), Stewart, Burns (Mitchell ’67), Casement, Mulgrew, Quinn (Stewart ’71), Clarke (Millar ’45), Smyth

COLERAINE: Johns, Mullan, Douglas, Harkin, McCauley (Kirk ’73), Bradley, Carson (Parkhill ’73), Lyons, O’Donnell, Traynor, McGonigle

UNUSED SUBS: Doherty Ogilby