Seventh heaven for Coleraine in Irish Cup win over Distillery
Coleraine progress safely through to the sixth round of the Tennants Irish Cup after Saturday’s 7-0 victory over Lisburn Distillery.
Goals from Martin Smith, Stephen Dooley, Gareth McConaghie, Ian Parkhill, Jamie McGonigle and a brace from youngster Matthew Kirk allowed Oran Kearney’s side to avoid a cup upset.
Coleraine hit the ground running and went ahead after a minute when Gareth McConaghie converted Darren McCauley’s cross giving the home side the advantage.
The Bannsiders doubled their lead just before the half hour mark via Stephen Dooley. The midfielder got on the end of Josh Carson’s cross and steered his header into the back of the net.
A dream debut for Dooley as he marked his return to Coleraine having joined the Bannsiders for a third spell after his departure from Cork City.
The visitors had no answers for the Premiership side and barely troubled Chris Johns in the Coleraine goal.
The waves of Coleraine pressure continued and the Bannsiders made it 3 just before half-time. Darren McCauley and Eoin Bradley went close only for their efforts to be denied by the post however Jamie McGonigle was on hand to poke home the rebound from close range.
Coleraine’s unrelenting attacking style of football was too much for Distillery to handle and the home side scored a fourth on 49 minutes.
A well worked move by the Coleraine attackers allowed Dooley to tee up Martin Smith and the midfielder fired home from the edge of the box.
It was a case of goal scorer turned provider for Coleraine’s fifth goal as Smith assisted second-half substitute Ian Parkhill and the midfielder made no mistake with the finish just shy of the hour mark.
The result was rounded off when Coleraine youngster Matthew Kirk scored a brace to complete the score sheet. Kirk made an immediate impact after being introduced as a second-half substitute grabbing his first goal on 72 minutes.
Eoin Bradley laid the ball into the path of the advancing Kirk and his first time shot found the top corner to make it 6 nil to Oran Kearney’s side.
Kirk popped up again just before the full-time whistle to grab his second of the game and Coleraine’s seventh as his great solo run was rounded off with a neat dinked finish to round off a convincing win for the home side.
The result means Coleraine progress safely into round six of the Tennants Irish Cup where they will take on North-West neighbours Institute.
Oran Kearney’s side will be looking to forget about the heartache of last season’s final by going the whole way this time around.
COLERAINE: Johns, Mullan, Douglas, McCauley (Parkhill ’46), Smith, Bradley, Carson, McConaghie, McGonigle (Kirk ’62), Dooley (A. Whiteside ’71), S. Whiteside. Subs Not Used: Doherty (GK), Harkin, O’Donnell, McCready.
LISBURN DISTILLERY: Nicholl, Reid, Clarke, A. Wright, Wharry, Hislop (McCaw ’61), McMurty, Harris, J. Wright (Workman ’66), Young (Beta ’73), Ferguson. Subs Not Used: Saunders (GK), Martin, Simpson, Curly