Bet McLean Cup Semi-final 

Cliftonville 2– 2 Coleraine (Coleraine win 5-4 on penalties)

Solitude

Holders Cliftonville paid the penalty as Odhran Casey’s effort came off the underside of the bar in sudden death of their shoot-out defeat to Coleraine in Tuesday evenings Bet McLean Cup semi-final clash.

Twice the hosts led through goals from Ronan Hale and Odhran Casey – but the Bannsiders twice hit back through Michael Shevlin to ensure the lottery of penalties would decide things.

Lyndon Kane and Ronan Hale were the only blots in the ten kicks and after Dean Jarvis dispatched the first of sudden death, Casey would see his effort crash onto the underside of the bar as Coleraine booked their place in the March 12th decider with Linfield.

Reds boss Paddy McLaughlin was ‘bitterly disappointed’ for his players and the fans and lamented passing up an advantage on three occasions over the course of the evening.

“We’ve led twice in the game and given away two soft goals,” McLaughlin reflected.

“They were two headers in and around our six-yard box – It’s not like us – we’re usually good at that and I don’t think we’ve conceded at all from set pieces all year. The manner of the goals against were really disappointing. Our play in the first half, I thought we were very good.

“We had the lead and Coleraine were coming at us and put a lot of forwards on and I thought we defended very well, bar the moment of sloppiness. When it goes to penalties, and we get the advantage when they miss. We’ve lost the tie three times almost; we’ve lost two leads during the 120 minutes and lost the advantage in the penalty shoot-out.

“I’m bitterly disappointed for the players because they’ve worked so hard and played so well. I’m bitterly disappointed for the fans because fair play to them – they were there in their numbers and backed us to hilt and stuck with us right to the end."

McLaughlin made one change from the disappointing 4-1 defeat at Ballymena on Saturday. Joe Gormley dropped to the bench and Jamie McDonagh came in the starting eleven.

It was Cliftonville who drew first blood in the last four clash after Kris Lowe’s through ball was missed by Kieran Farran – allowing Ronan Hale to latch onto the ball and fire past Gareth Deane for his 12th goal of the season.

Josh Carson went close for the Bannsiders with a free-kick that clipped the wall from close range.

Midway through the half Jamie McDonagh almost doubled the Reds' lead. Rory Hale won the ball back in midfield and released the winger, whose wicked shot crashed off the post and out.

Lyndon Kane put too much fizz on an angled free-kick just before the half hour mark, whilst Jamie McDonagh’s in-swinging corner was met by Ronan Hale, but Gareth Deane gathered on the line.

Coleraine went close to levelling before the break when Josh Carson’s dipping shot was tipped over at the last minute by Nathan Gartside.

The resulting corner was met by Dean Jarvis in the box, though Chris Gallagher headed off the line as Cliftonville led by Hale’s goal at the midway point.

Coleraine began the second period on the front foot with Conor McKendry dropping in a cross which Nathan Gartside was forced to collect. Bannsiders boss Oran Kearney introduced Jamie Glackin and the Omagh man was almost made an instant impact with an effort from range that crashed off the crossbar.

The visitors piled on the pressure with a quarter of an hour remaining as Dean Jarvis bent a free-kick wide of the target and former ex-Reds striker Michael McCrudden tried to bend in a shot that Nathan Gartside was forced to push behind.

With seven minutes remaining Coleraine grabbed the equaliser that was on the cards for large stages of the half. Conor McDermott and Michael McCrudden combined to send in a low cross which was swept home by Matthew Shevlin.

Neither side could force a winner and like last year’s decider, extra-time would be required to find a winner.

Extra-time: 

Cliftonville regained the advantage again within two minutes of the first period starting, Ronan Doherty’s corner was half cleared and Odhran Casey thumped an unstoppable strike past Gareth Deane for his first senior goal for the club.

Conor McDermott flashed a high ball across the face of goal and wide at the other end and Cliftonville then went a whisker away from doubling their advantage when Sean Moore let fly with an effort that struck the post.

The Reds defensive deficiencies came back to bite again and Coleraine drew level in first half stoppage time. Lee Lynch’s corner was blocked and the substitute had a second bite, this time his cross was glanced home by Shevlin to make it 2-2.

Both sides went for the winner in the second period, and it was Coleraine who almost nicked it at the death. Michael McCrudden’s attempt was parried, and Lee Lynch smashed high over the bar with the goal at his mercy as penalties were required.

Lyndon Kane saw the first penalty of the shoot-out missed and despite referee Jamie Robinson ordering a retake for Nathan Gartside straying off his line, the Derry native was equal to the second effort.

Cliftonville failed to take advantage though as Ronan Hale blasted the hosts first spot kick over.

Thereafter both sides cancelled each other out – Josh Carson, Matthew Shevlin, Evan McLaughlin and Michael McCrudden for the Bannsiders, with Chris Gallagher, Levi Ives, Colin Coates and Joe Gormley replying to force sudden death.

Dean Jarvis edged Coleraine ahead with the first kick but on this occasion Odhran Casey was unable to restore parity as his effort came off the underside of the bar and Coleraine advanced 5-4 on penalties to book their place in the decider for the third time in succession.

Cliftonville: Gartside, Lowe, Robinson (, Addis, Turner (Ives 113’), Gallagher, Doherty, Rory Hale (Casey 72’), R Curran (Gormley 91’), McDonagh (Moore 79’), Ronan Hale.

Coleraine: Deane, Kane, D Jarvis, McKendry (McLaughlin 76’), Lowry (Lynch 46’), Carson, Farren (McCrudden 46’), O’Donnell, O’Mahony (Glackin 63’), McDermott, Shevlin.

Referee: Jamie Robinson