Coleraine 1, Ballymena United 1

Alan Teggart scored an injury time penalty equaliser to ensure Ballymena United avoided defeat by Coleraine in four games this season.
Ballymena United's Mark Kelly shields the ball from Coleraine's Howard Beverland during today's Premiership match at Coleraine Showgrounds. Picture: Press Eye.Ballymena United's Mark Kelly shields the ball from Coleraine's Howard Beverland during today's Premiership match at Coleraine Showgrounds. Picture: Press Eye.
Ballymena United's Mark Kelly shields the ball from Coleraine's Howard Beverland during today's Premiership match at Coleraine Showgrounds. Picture: Press Eye.

Just as he had done in the previous fixture in February, the winger kept his nerve to score from the spot late on as the sides shared the spoils in a game of two penalties.

Manager Glenn Ferguson made five changes from the side which had beaten Queen’s in the Irish Cup semi-final.

Three of those were enforced with Jim Ervin and Tony Kane suspended, while Darren Boyce was ruled out under the terms of his transfer from Coleraine in January. Defenders Aaron Stewart and Johnny Taylor weren’t risked with the cup final in mind.

They were replaced by Mark McCullagh, Davy Munster, Michael Ruddy, Gavin Taggart and Mark Kelly.

On 22 minutes, David McDaid produced some clever footwork to hoodwink makeshift centre-back Michael Ruddy but when the striker laid the ball across goal, there were no team-mates present, with Mark McCullagh clearing the danger.

Three minutes later, a dangerous inswinging free kick by Ruairi Harkin found three in-rushing Coleraine players

There was an injury scare for Ballymena as Aaron Shanahan - United’s only eligible keeper for the cup final - collided with the post as he back-pedalled to tip over a Ryan McIlmoyle free-kick but the Dubliner was able to continue after treatment.

From the resultant corner, taken by Harkin, Bradley headed against the post from close-range.

Coleraine opened the scoring on 35 minutes from the penalty spot.

Ruddy clearly tugged back Bradley and the striker fired powerfully home from the spot, despite Shanahan diving the right way.

And the Bannsiders came close to doubling their advantage before the break when McDaid played in Bradley but the striker dragged his low shot narrowly wide of the far post.

Ballymena’s first shot on target didn’t come until the 56th minute - a remarkable effort from the centre circle by Gavin Taggart which was touched behind for a corner by keeper Eugene Ferry.

Coleraine came close to scoring again when Bradley’s low cross from the left was spilled by Shanahan but McDaid couldn’t react quickly enough to divert the ball goalwards from point-blank range.

Ballymena came within a whisker of equalising as Ally Teggart’s cut-back from the left was back-heeled goalwards by Mark Kelly but as the ball rolled towards the goal-line, Howard Beverland was on hand to hack clear.

As United searched for an equaliser, Cushley raced onto a Kelly flick-on from a Shanahan clearance but could only flash his shot wide of the far post.

The woodwork denied Ballymena with two minutes to go as Neal Gawley’s inswinging corner came back off the post.

But in stoppage time United were handed a lifeline when Aaron Canning was adjudged by Maltese referee Clayton Pisani to have handled Michael McLellan’s flick on from Gawley’s corner.

Alan Teggart continued his impressive record from the spot by tucking his effort neatly into the corner to secure the third draw between the sides in four meetings this season.

Coleraine: Ferry, Canning, Beverland, Ogilby, McIlmoyle (sub Watt 83), Harkin, Hegarty, Tommons, McNeill, Bradley, McDaid. Subs (not used): Shannon, Owens, Jennings, Mullan.

Ballymena United: Shanahan, McCullagh, Munster, Ruddy, McBride (sub McLellan 82), Taggart (sub Gawley 71), Davidson (sub Surgenor 71), Jenkins, Teggart, Kelly, Cushley. Subs (not used): Harris, Loughran.

Referee: Clayton Pisani (Malta).