Ban for Bradley would rub salt into wounds after Glackin woe
COLERAINE could be facing a double blow following their dramatic Irish Cup exit with news that the Irish FA are looking into an incident involving striker Eoin Bradley in Monday’s semi-final loss to Ballymena United and that playmaker Jamie Glackin will miss their Europa League preliminary round tie next month.
Glackin suffered a broken arm in an accidental clash with Ballymena goalkeeper Ross Glendinning during Monday’s tie at Windsor Park, which the Sky Blues won on penalties following a 1-1 draw after extra-time.
The ex-crusaders ace, who was having a fine game in the derby to continue what had been an excellent season, will be absent for at least a month, ruling him out of Coleraine’s opening match in Europe on August 20.
The Bannsiders qualified after finishing second in the truncated Irish Premiership campaign and will aim to progress in the oneleg shoot-out which would see them enter the first qualifying round of the competition.
While Glackin will be unavailable, striker Curtis Allen should be free to play. Allen will be a fully fledged Coleraine player by the time Europe comes around.
He had been on loan and was left frustrated after his contract was not extended at Glentoran, making him ineligible to play in the Irish Cup.
Bradley (below) should be available for the European adventure but there may be concerns at Coleraine that he could be hit with a domestic suspension.
The forward, who scored a stunning free-kick against Ballymena, was caught on television coverage relieving himself on the pitch as manager Oran Kearney spoke to his players before extra-time.
An IFA spokesperson said: “The IFA are likely to look into the matter.”
Coleraine could point to Bradley being caught short due to taking on extra liquid during two designated water breaks during the match. Meanwhile, popular midfielder Ben Doherty (left, bottom), who missed Coleraine’s final penalty in their 3-1 shoot-out defeat, took to social media to express his feelings.
He said: “Absolutely gutted for all involved at Coleraine, teammates, staff, board members and the fans.
“A great season coming to an end in disappointing circumstances.
“Can only apologise for the final penalty and can’t help thinking about the many people that have been let down by the outcome, no more than myself.
“All in all it was a good season as a team and on a personal level, with time to reflect now before a massive European fixture for the club and the fans.”