Kearney looks forward to the challenge

The Bannsiders entertained Loughgall in the IRN-BRU League Cup last night (Monday) with Oran Kearney promising to put out a strong side against the Championship One outfit.

Then it’s back to league action with north Belfast’s ‘Big Two’ waiting on Coleraine.

On Friday night they entertain Crusaders before they travel to Solitude to face Cliftonville in the season’s first live game on Sky Sports.

And Kearney is relishing the challenge which awaits his team, despite them still looking for their first win.

“It’s fantastic you want the big games to keep on coming,” he told Times Sport.

“This is what it’s all about. We’ll take it one game at a time though and focus on what is in front of us.”

Kearney admitted it was frustrating not to have bagged three points yet, but he says his side will keep working hard until they get it.

“We just have to keep going,” said the Bannsiders boss.

“There’s plenty of things for us to be working on that’s for sure. But we won’t let our heads drop because we have been pleased with periods of our play in the three games to date.

“The performance is key and we showed in the first half against Glenavon what we’re all about. But sadly it’s a results based business.

“As much as the first half pleases me and the chances we created in the second half, the result is ultimately what it’s all about and what people will judge on.

“I said to the lads we knew Glenavon would come out and swarm us in the second half.

“For me the solution was simple, in the first half everyone kept playing the pass to the man closest to them and everything was nice and sharp, but when they pressurised us we shouldn’t have looked for the short ball we should have went long and got Gary and Shane running into the channels.”

Coleraine have injury concerns with midfielder Stephen Carson who limped out of last Friday night’s clash at Mourneview Park at half time after picking up a hamstring injury.

The wide man was due to be rested against Loughgall with the league games against Crusaders and Cliftonville in mind.