Coleraine boss Oran Kearney is demanding a response from his boys in tonight’s Danske Bank Premiership clash with Dungannon Swifts at Stangmore Park (7.45pm).
Sentiment will be set aside for 90 minutes at least as Kearney goes head-to-head with his brother-in-law Dean Shiels, whose team are looking for their first win of the new League campaign.
The Bannsiders slumped to their first defeat of the season last Friday night when ruthlessly dismantled by Gary Hamilton’s Glenavon at the Showgrounds – a display that left Kearney scratching his head in frustration.
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“The performance level just wasn’t there,” he said. “It was our third game in six days, so we were hoping momentum would overcome a bit of fatigue or whatever else.
“For some reason, we weren’t able to hit the levels we reached in recent games. Friday night games are brilliant when you win them, when you don’t it makes it a long weekend.
“But there is no point in feeling sorry for ourselves, we’ll be ready to go again against Dungannon.”
On transfer deadline day, Aaron Traynor left the Bannsiders to join Cliftonville.
Kearney added: “He leaves with a mountain of memories . . . the Irish Cup win, the League Cup win . . . playing in Europe. He left the club with his head held high and he will be welcome back anytime.”
Shiels will be hoping to parade new signings from Glentoran Caolan Marron and Ben Cushnie, while promising teenager Terry Devlin moved in the opposite direction.
Crusaders, meanwhile, will aim to put a dent in Larne’s unbeaten start to the League campaign when Tiernan Lynch brings his boys to Seaview tonight.
The Shore Road team are coming off the back of a hard-fought victory at Newry City at the weekend, while Larne enjoyed a thumping home win (3-0) over Ballymena United.
“It’s always tough against the Crues,” declared Lynch, who this week signed defender Shaun Want from Scottish club Hamilton Accies.
“We’ll go there and be professional, hoping to get the three points.”
On his latest capture, Lynch added: “With Kofi Balmer moving to Crystal Palace, we clearly needed to strengthen the squad with a quality defender.
“We feel Shaun will give us that and we are delighted to have him at the club. He has been in the full-time environment throughout his career, so he’ll fit in well.”
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