Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MAXIE SWAIN
STEPHEN DOOLEY is relishing his return to Coleraine as he looks to bring fresh impetus to their battle for the Gibson Cup title.
The gifted 26-year-old winger put pen to paper on a third spell with the Bannsiders just before Christmas, providing the perfect tonic for Oran Kearney’s men at a crucial juncture in the season.
After leading the way at the top of the Danske Bank Premiership for so long, the Ballycastle Road outfit have stood by almost helplessly as Crusaders overtook them with a swashbuckling run of 18 wins from 19 in all competitions – their incredible surge to the summit threatening to overshadow what has been a sparkling first half to Coleraine’s own campaign.
But Dooley insists he and his teammates are matter-of-fact about the task in hand, and certainly won’t be overawed by the challenge which lies ahead.
The former Derry City ace acknowledges that the gauntlet has been thrown down, and says it is up to him and his teammates to prove they are up for the fight.
“If Crusaders continue the form they are in, there’s nothing we or anyone else can do about it,” said Dooley, who made a goalscoring return in his third debut for Coleraine in their 7-0 Irish Cup thrashing of Lisburn Distillery on Saturday.
“But we just have to do our own thing, concentrate on our own game. We know it will be extremely, extremely tough, but the boys have done so well so far, we’re only a point behind.
“Like I said, if Crusaders decide to keep this run going there’s not much anyone can do about it but it’s up to us to stay in there and string wins together.”
Dooley was just 17 when he was first blooded for Coleraine, playing alongside the likes of Stephen Carson and an emerging Howard Beverland in a team which, for all their Irish Cup exploits in reaching three finals in six seasons during the Noughties, rarely threatened the top four.
These are changed times at The Showgrounds, however, and with the club neck and neck with Crusaders well beyond the halfway point of the season, he joins a club competing at the business end of the table.
“Oran has the boys flying, training is really good and all the boys seem to really buy into what he is trying to do and it’s been really good so far and hopefully I can come in and help,” said Coleraine’s new No.22.
“The last time I was here we had some big wins, I remember we beat Glentoran 6-0 and a few others but we were never consistent, always around mid-table from fifth to about eighth.
“We never really got a good run at the league but we’re in a good position now to do so, that’s the difference here now.
“But we are under no illusions how tough it will be with Crusaders on an absolutely incredible run, but we’ll play our game, do our best and see where that takes us.”
Dooley returns to the Showgrounds set-up with bags of experience after a four-year stint on a soccer scholarship in the States, followed by spells at Derry City and latterly Cork City.
He won back-to-back FAI Cups at Turner’s Cross, as well as the League of Ireland title last season, before moving north of the border once again to take up arms with Kearney’s young guns in what was a massive coup for the Bannsiders.
Having been the baby of the team when he first broke into the side, he admits it’s a bit strange to come back as one of the players his team-mates look to for guidance.
Experience is something Coleraine concede to the Crues in spades, with Stephen Baxter’s men dripping in silverware of late and well used to the big occasion due to their recent forays into the Champions League and Irn Bru Scottish Challenge Cup.
So Dooley knows his role as one of the wiser heads in the team is a vitally important one.
“The boys have been doing absolutely brilliantly and hopefully I can come in and add a bit of depth to the squad,” said Dooley.
“The bigger teams in Belfast have a lot of strength in depth and hopefully I can add that to Coleraine.
“I’ve played for Coleraine a couple of times and with a few teams in the League of Ireland so I’ve been around long enough now that I will be able to add a bit of experience and hopefully a bit of attacking impetus to the team.
“We have a great defence, we haven’t conceded too many this year so hopefully, if we can score a few more, we can stay in there.
“I’ve never really played with a team as young as this before; at Coleraine I was always the younger lad so I’m one of the more experienced players in the team now which is a bit unusual but hopefully it’s a role I do well in and I can help to bring people along – I’m looking forward to it.”
Dooley announced his return to the Irish League in style with a mouthwatering performance on Saturday, leaving the pitch to a standing ovation after scoring one and setting up another in their Irish Cup demolition of the Whites. A loser’s medal in the competition was as close as he came to winning silverware during this previous spells at the Showgrounds, so he feels he has some unfinished business to attend to.
“I was at the Irish Cup final last season and although Linfield won it handily enough, seeing all the fans at the game was brilliant and it would be great to get back there again if possible,” he said.
Indeed, he admits Coleraine are close to his heart, having been involved with them since childhood,