Football: Brave Coagh United lose out in heartbreaking fashion to Institute

Coagh bowed out of the Intermediate Cup on penalties after the two sides finished level after 110 minutes of end to end football.

Coagh’s luck abandoned them as early as the first four minut with both James Ferguson and Craig Moore rattling the cross bar.

But after taking a second half lead, a massive and disappointing error in the Coagh defence let the home side back into the game and finally go on to win the tie.

On the plus side Coagh’s Management were bubbling about this display and will be hoping they can build on this for League survival. Coagh have been left a mountain to climb with the fixture pile up starting this week end with an away trip to Carrick Rangers at Inver Park in Larne.

This starts a total of seven matches away from home to Carrick, Welders, Dergview, Bangor, Ballyclare, Lisburn Distillery and finally Dundela. All these away fixtures have to be completed inside three and a half weeks. After that its five matches at home to decide whether Coagh will be playing Championship One football next season.

On Saturday Coagh came flying out of the traps forcing two corners in the first thirty seconds. On the minute mark a James Ferguson free kick was pushed onto the cross bar and over for Coagh’s third corner in as many seconds. Moments later Craig Moore rattled the visitors cross bar again from twenty yard as Coagh camped in the ‘Stute half.

The home side’s first chance came after six minutes with Hassan in the Coagh goal saving well from McFadden. Coagh’s early pressure wakened up the home side and they started to force the play with the Coagh stopper being the busier of the two keepers.

Jason Gillespie broke clear from Parks pass but was pulled back for an alleged hand ball. Steven Park shot just wide from Lamonts pass and moments later Stephen Lamont had a rasping twenty yard shot well saved.

On the half hour Institute’s Stephen Parkhouse wasted the best chance of the half, after he headed over in front of an open goal from a McCrudden cross. Craig Moore had a deflected shot well saved while Parkhouse and McCrudden both had shots blocked by Glasgow and Calderwood who were working overtime in the heart of the Coagh defence.

Stephen Glasgow cleared off his line at the start of the second period. From the break Coagh went one up. On loan Coleraine pair Craig Moore and Joel Bradley linked with Bradley side footing Moore’s cross into the net.

William Hassan made a good stop from Varma but his save was wasted moments later after Coagh failed to clear the ball. The visitors had stopped Semple’s run down the right but took too long to clear giving the player a second chance to cross. This time he found McCrudden who drilled in the equaliser and it was game on.

Jason Gillespie was unlucky not to score from the restart, Craig Moore got the cross in but Gillespie’s header just went wide of the post. At the other end Parkhouse rattled the up right from twenty yards; Hassin again came to Coagh’s rescue with a one handed save from McCrudden shot. Coagh lost both Dallas and Lamont through injury, they were replaced by Kempton and Thornton.

In extra time there was only one team in it as the home side bombarded the Coagh defence with Hassan the hero making three good saves to force the game into penalties. Jason Gillespie stepped up to score Coagh’s first and when Hassan saved from Parkhouse, Coagh were back in the driving seat. Gallagher then saved Kempton’s kick but Hassan went back into the net to save from McCauley. The goalkeepers ruled as Gallagher saved from Thornton. Walsh scored to keep Institute in it while Campbell did the same for Coagh.

Ferguson put Coagh back ahead after Curran had converted with McCrudden levelling things up at 3-3. Both Moore and McFadden missed while Coagh’s Young had his shot saved. Finally McKeever converted to keep the holders two year run in the competition intact.

Institute: Gallagher, Semple, Curran, O’Donnell, McKeever; Varma, Carlin, Walsh; McCrudden, Parkhouse, McFadden. Subs: Hume, McCauley, Henderson, Crown, Doherty

Coagh: William Hassan, Mathew Young, James Ferguson, David Calderwood, Stephen Glasgow, Stephen Lamont (Mathew Kempton), Marcus Dallas (Aaron Thornton), Joel Bradley (Aaron Campbell), Steven Park, Craig Moore, Jason Gillespie.

Referee: Mr John Deighan (Limavady)