Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
MOURNEVIEW TO HOST FIRST IRISH CUP FINAL
Finding a path on to the continent this summer would please Kearney
ORAN KEARNEY isn’t giving up on the title but the Coleraine boss accepts Europe would be a decent runners-up prize.
The Bannsiders are still focused on Linfield at the summit and can move to within seven points of the leaders with a win at The Oval this evening.
With eight games left to play and heading into the final strait, Kearney believes it’s still all to play for in the race for the club’s first Gibson Cup since 1974.
But if the Ballycastle Road men fall short in their historic quest, he knows second place in the table seals an automatic place in next season’s Europa Conference League.
“Without divulging targets, Europe has always been the focus,” said Kearney of the tense scrap for a top-two finish.
“For the last four or five seasons that’s the only target we ever set at the start of a season. Not verbally but it’s nearly an unwritten rule. It’s about having that mindset where we push and push to try and secure a European place. If we do
IRISH FA chiefs have confirmed that this season’s Irish Cup final will be played at Mourneview Park for the first time ever on Friday, May 21.
The semi- finals will also be staged at the Lurgan venue as Windsor Park undergoes that you are more than likely in and around it. That’s always been the big target. The other one is we want to hang in there in terms of the title race. Are we out of it? No, absolutely not and we want those last five games after the split to be important.”
An intriguing sub-plot exists ahead of tonight’s crucial trip to East Belfast and Friday’s clash with the same opposition at The Showgrounds.
The Glens happen to be third in the table, just two points below Coleraine with a game in hand. “It’s a tough run to the split but I don’t remember an easy game,” said Kearney. “They all bring their problems and at this stage of the season it’s about picking up points. We just need to get the job done.
“Glentoran at The Oval is another big game. They had a slow start in the league but have really kicked on and are flying at the moment.”
Elsewhere tonight the bottom four clash with Portadown at home to Dungannon and Carrick travelling to Warrenpoint (both 7.45pm).
“pitch renovation work” ahead of the UEFA Super Cup final on August 11. Windsor has hosted the final on an almost permanent basis since 1996, while the last time the final was held outside Belfast was in 1975 when Coleraine beat Linfield at Ballymena Showgrounds.
The two semis played at will be
Mourneview on Tuesday, May 18, with 4pm and 8pm kick-offs, with both ties screened live on BBC NI.
The competition will kick-off and be completed next month, with the last-16 pencilled in for May 8, followed by the quarter-finals on May 11.