Coleraine pip Glens to European spot with big win

Coleraine pipped Glentoran to second place and a European spot with a thumping 6-2 win on the final day of the league campaign at the Showgrounds.

A hat-trick from Will Patching as well as goals from Levi Ives, Senan Devine and Matthew Shevlin secured the victory required to bring European football back to the club for the first time since 2022.

The Bannsiders also have an Irish Cup final to look forward to next weekend against Dungannon Swifts.

Glentoran will hope for a Coleraine win in the decider which will see a European place filter down to the east Belfast side in third.

Bannsiders hit Glens for six

Coleraine took a sixth minute lead from the penalty spot after Lyndon Kane nipped in on Jordan Stewart's blind side as the Glentoran player attempted to clear the ball and referee Ian McNabb pointed to the spot.

Patching stepped up to fire a nerveless penalty straight up the middle.

The home side doubled their advantage on 14 minutes when Ives curled home a stunning free-kick from 25 yards.

Coleraine almost scored a third goal inside the opening 20 minutes when Joel Cooper burst into the penalty area but an excellent intervention from Cammy Palmer averted the danger at the expense of a corner.

Cooper went close again when he cut inside from the right flank and curled a shot towards the far post but Glentoran goalkeeper Andrew Mills sprang to his right to turn the ball behind.

Coleraine wrapped up the victory four minutes after the restart with Patching scoring again from the penalty spot after Zane Okoro was bundled over by MJ Kamson Kamara.

Patching completed his hat-trick in style just before the hour mark as a corner was worked back out to the midfielder, who fired a stunning strike from outside the penalty area.

Glentoran pulled a goal back on 62 minutes when Ross Clarke's shot found the net at the near post.

But Coleraine added to their tally on 70 minutes when substitute Devine found the bottom corner of the net with a fierce strike from outside the penalty area.

Glentoran grabbed a second goal five minutes from the end when Pat Hoban headed a cross into the path of Jack Malone and although his initial effort was blocked by Ryan Schofield, the midfielder forced the ball home at the second attempt.

But fittingly, the final word went to Coleraine as Shevlin rounded keeper Mills to smash home a sixth goal deep into stoppage time.