Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
THE POINT IS NOT LOST ON KEARNEY
Bann boss Oran delighted with Glens draw
COLERAINE boss Oran Kearney says Saturday’s draw at the Oval felt as good as a win.
The Bannsiders played for 70 minutes with 10 men following Josh Carson’s red card and also saw Glentoran’s John Mcguigan fluff an injury time penalty.
It preserved the North West club’s eight game unbeaten run in the league and keeps them a point clear of champions Linfield at the summit.
Kearney said: “I would rank that performance as one of our best of the season. We didn’t take three points, but the result was as good as a win.
“I thought the attitude, grit, determination and resilience we showed were fantastic.”
Coleraine, who saw Ciaron Harkin rattle the post with a second half effort from distance, played for 70 minutes with 10 men following Carson’s lunging challenge on Marcus Kane.
And Kearney admitted he blew a sigh of relief when Glens midfielder Mcguigan blasted his spot kick high and wide on 93 minutes after slipping as he struck the ball.
He said: “You think you luck is not in when you play 70 minutes with 10 men and then a penalty is awarded well in to injury time. I don’t think anyone would begrudge us a point. If anything, we looked the team most likely to win it in the second half.”
On Carson’s dismissal, the Showgrounds chief admitted: “Yes, it was a red. It was a bit reckless and I’ve spoken to him about it. He is not a nasty player.”
Glentoran chief Gary Haveron insisted his boys deserved to win the game – and Mcguigan will be off penalties after his howler.
He said: “John was distraught coming off and so he should have been. I said to him if he wants to take responsibility, he has to make it count.
“I don’t want to be too hard on him. But he was wearing mouldies instead of studs on a wet, wet, pitch. What the groundsman went through to get the pitch playable was unbelievable.
“It’s frustrating because overall, I thought we deserved all three points.”