Coleraine 1 Crusaders 1
(After Extra Time - Coleraine win 4-3 on pens)
COLERAINE lifted the Ulster Cup last night after a wait of ten years, 120 minutes and a painstaking penalty shoot-out at Windsor Park.
But Coleraine boss Kenny Shiels could now face the wrath of the Irish League following his half-time dismissal for speaking out at referee Herbie Barr and later hitting out at Crusaders.
Shiels blasted:"I know Roy (Walker) is a christian but I didn't see too much christianity from Crusaders tonight. Now I know why they are so hard to beat.
"I was sent off at half-time for 'remonstrating'. I'd like to know what that means because we have a player in hospital with a broken nose."
Local lad Pat McAllister was hero turned villain turned hero again, scoring Coleraine's only goal of normal time before missing a penalty.
But the Lenadoon-born midfielder was the man who lifted the honours and brought cup glory back to the north-west.
And as McAllister was crowned it was Crusaders' scorer Chris Morgan who turned villain and stayed that way following a poorly struck penalty which was saved by Wes Lamont. It was the ideal setting for the former Linfield keeper saving a penalty on his old soil with his new club.
Bizarre thinking, it can only be said, allowed Crusaders keeper Kevin McKeown to hit the last vital penalty. Just like McAllister before him McKeown struck the bar.
It was a stop-start first half, players dropping like flies all around the pitch as both teams were fully committed to winning the ball.
After just 14 minutes Coleraine's Greg O'Dowd was replaced by Johnnie McIvor. It was revealed at half-time O'Dowd had suffered a broken nose. Pat McAllister was on the deck on two occasions while David McCallen and Crusader's defender Aaron Callaghan all ended up in heaps as both teams cancelled each other out.
Before McAllister's opener, Crusaders had the best opportunity of the first half after 32 minutes, when a Stephen Baxter cross fell beautifully for Glen Hunter but he struck his volley wide of Wes Lamont's goal.
It was all Crusaders in the second half but Roy Walker's men, whether it was in the plot or not, adopted and displayed the most unattractive of long ball games.
The crunching tackles continued throughout the second half but Coleraine withstood the bulk of the pressure and just when it seemed they had rode their luck Crusaders substitute Chris Morgan equalised in the last minute.
The Crusaders fans urged their team forward, a free kick fell to defender Trevor McMullan and his cross goal drive was parried by Lamont but only as far as a plethora of awaiting Crusaders players ready to pounce. In the end it was Chris Morgan who drove the ball over the line.
The first half of extra-time saw Crusaders maintain the pressure but create no clear cut chances.
But the final 30 minutes was crying out for the golden goal rule. It was an awful game from start to finish.
Crusaders: McKeown, Dornan, McMullan, Dunlop, Callaghan, Murray, O'Brien, Dunne (booked 30 mins), Baxter, Hunter, Burrows, Subs: Chris Morgan for Hunter (79), Dwyer for Dunne (79),
Coleraine: Lamont, McAuley, Brunton, Aspinall, Gaston, Doherty, Shiels, O'Dowd, McCallen, McAllister, Surgeon Subs: Ramage for Surgeon (109), McIvor for O'Dowd (14 mins)
Ref: Herbie Barr (Bangor)