Coleraine v La Fiorita: Bannsiders have to 'reach out and grab' next-round spot - Kearney

  • Published
Jamie Glackin and Ross GlendinningImage source, Pacemaker
Image caption,

Jamie Glackin, left, will miss the game after breaking his arm in Coleraine's Irish Cup semi-final defeat

Oran Kearney has urged his Coleraine side to "reach out and grab" a place in the first round of Europa League qualifying.

Coleraine host La Fiorita from San Marino in the preliminary round of qualifying on Thursday.

If triumphant, a trip to Slovenian side Maribor awaits in the next round.

"There is an opportunity for a mouth-watering trip to Slovenia and I've said to the players that has to be the target," said Kearney.

With the lack of football over the recent months, the Bannsiders boss admits his team is going into the fixture "a little bit blind".

"We've got bits and pieces of information. They are a part-time league and, like ourselves, they stopped playing in March," he said.

"Up to date and relevant footage is hard to get. The best indicator we have is from when they played Linfield in 2017.

"The same manager from then has just been appointed again, and you would maybe expect the tactics to be quite similar.

"Stephen Lowry played in that game too and has given good insight. Looking at their league table, they don't seem to score many but they don't concede many either."

Bannsiders over semi-final loss

Kearney will be without Jamie Glackin for the European tie, who broke his arm in July's Irish Cup semi-final defeat against Ballymena United, and goalkeeper Chris Johns, who has moved to Linfield.

After missing out on the Irish Cup final on penalties, Kearney says his team is in "good spirits" and have got over the heartbreak of the last-four loss.

"You take the success in football and you try to enjoy them," he added.

"I remember after we won the League Cup, the first thing I said to the lads in the changing room was to soak it up and enjoy the moment.

"In a defeat like that, and the way that it happened, it is probably the opposite.

We gave the lads the rest of the week off then we came in on the Saturday. We knew we had this game ahead, which is huge for the club."

Sorry, we can't display this part of the article any more.