Oran not keen on title talk

Coleraine v Carrick R

ORAN KEARNEY has claimed it’s “lazy journalism” to brand table topping Coleraine title challengers just six games into the season. The Bannmen, who welcome Carrick to The Showgrounds, are the only side with maximum points.

It has been a blistering start to the campaign for Coleraine who inflicted a 2-1 defeat on last season’s runners-up Crusaders last month.

But while Kearney is pleased with his team’s performances to date, he has laughed off suggestions of a title bid this early in the campaign. “It’s lazy journalism,” he said. “There’s no point me saying anything else because with only 15% of games played and 85% to go, surely there’s better things to be talking about.”

On today’s Carrick test, Kearney added: “They are a really good image of their manager Davy Mcalinden who was a really dogged professional with a never-say-die attitude.

“Already with this new-look Carrick side, you can see a lot of his qualities coming through. A team like that can be very dangerous.”

will bid to win back-to-back games for the first time this season when they travel to fourth-placed

Reds boss Barry Gray said: “After the Dungannon game, I could see signs of partnerships and understandings developing that weren’t there before. We’re trying to find that connection.”