Campaign opener ends in stalemate

SETANTA SPORTS CUP: Coleraine 0 Glentoran 0: COLERAINE started their campaign with a disappointing scoreless draw against last…

SETANTA SPORTS CUP: Coleraine 0 Glentoran 0:COLERAINE started their campaign with a disappointing scoreless draw against last season's beaten finalists Glentoran and in truth this result doesn't really help either.

A corner in the 12th minute by Gary Hamilton caused problems in the Coleraine six-yard box, but Johnny Taylor’s shot was kept out by Davy O’Hare.

Early in the second half a Johnny Black centre from the left caught the Coleraine defence, but Hamilton’s diving header was comfortably gathered by O’Hare.

Former Everton starlet Eunan O’Kane would have scored a wonder goal in the 55th minute, but for a tremendous save by Ja Taylor. The midfielder picked the ball up inside his own half, before running at the Glens back line, but with the goal at his mercy his low shot was kept out by the finger tips of the Belfast men’s shot-stopper.

READ MORE

Alan McDonald’s outfit should have nicked maximum points in stoppage time when Hamilton picked out Michael Halliday, but the substitute’s glancing header whistled over the crossbar.

COLERAINE: O'Hare, Mukendi, McLaughlin, McVey, Harkin; O'Kane (McClements, 85), McCallion, Hegarty, Boyce (Tommons, 59), Patterson; Tolan (Crossan, 59).

GLENTORAN:Ja Taylor, Nixon, Ward, Taylor, Black (Hill, 85); Fitzgerald (McCabe, 76), Clarke, Gardiner, Fordyce; Hamilton, Waterworth (Halliday, 76).

Referee: A McCourt (Bangor).