Coleraine: Jamie McGonigle grabs only goal to see off Warrenpoint Town
McGonigle collected and converted in the penalty area on 75 minutes to secure success over Warrenpoint Town.
Eamon Scannell tested Chris Johns from distance with the first significant shot on target.
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Hide AdStephen Lowry found time and space inside the area but Aaron McCarey raced out to gain a vital touch and take the sting out of the Coleraine midfielder’s effort.
McCarey then could only watch as Adam Mullan and Danny Wallace both challenged for possession the edge of the area and the deflection looped over the goalkeeper and target.
Warrenpoint came close to edging clear before the break when Philip Donnelly managed to gain a glimpse of goal under pressure in the area but Johns managed to smother the shot.
Donnelly, having offered a first-half spark, managed to maintain his momentum in the second half with clever footwork but Alan O’Sullivan’s shot proved tame.
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Hide AdMcCarey, once again, had to race off his line to close down the space and block a shot by Coleraine substitute Eoin Bradley.
Darren McCauley’s corner-kick delivery created problems in the box but Josh Carson’s header on the run lacked direction.
The Bannsiders’ building pressure featured a Lowry shot just wide of the upright.
O’Sullivan, however, almost took advantage of a fortuitous ricochet but his first-time drive was saved at a stretch by Johns.
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Hide AdBradley had an injury-time chance blocked on the line by Wallace but, ultimately, Coleraine’s sustained probing and pressing proved decisive.
WARRENPOINT TOWN: McCarey, Foster, Hughes, O’Sullivan, J.Lynch (McCaffrey, 62), M.Lynch, Watters (Kelly, 78), Scannell, Norton (McGrandles, 87) Wallace, Donnelly.
Subs (not used): Moan, Turker.
COLERAINE: Johns, Kane (Crown, 4), Mullan, Harkin, McCauley, Lowry, Carson, McConaghie, Parkhill (Bradley, 46), McGonigle (Douglas, 88), Canning.
Subs (not used): Doherty, O’Donnell, Gawne, Whiteside.
Referee: Shane Andrews.