Kearney making most of cup preparations

Kearney added: “Our ground holds 4,000 to 5,000 and we could probably cope with half capacity.

“We don’t know when fans will be allowed into grounds and we have to see if any can watch the Irish Cup final.

“We’ve been trying to jump through hoops just to make sure we are returning to training safely. If it’s a 12 team league, a 38 game season has worked and the Europa League play-off system can be exciting too, so it would make sense for those games to return as well.”

Coleraine players resumed training last Saturday and their Covid-19 test results came back negative. Although in good physical condition, it’s inevitable that all the semi-finalists will be lacking a little match sharpness.

“Our lads have come back in pretty much the same weight and they have been doing the physical work,” added the former St Mirren chief. “Of course, you can only get the match sharpness through playing games. But it’s the same for all four clubs, we are trying to squeeze the preparation in and we are in the same place.”

Coleraine are still digesting the news that loan striker Curtis Allen may have to miss the cup games after his Glentoran contract was not extended beyond June 30, leaving the 32-year-old without a club for the remainder of the 2019/20 campaign.

“We are struggling to find someone who can give us a definitive answer on that,” added Kearney.

Linfield, meanwhile, are understood to be organising a behind closed doors friendly against Bohemians at Windsor Park as well as a match against the same opponents in Dublin. • THE Irish FA have agreed that the transfer window will open from August 1 and close on October 5, in line with guidance from Uefa.