Hi °C | Lo °C Kyle McVey did the double over Donegal Celtic last night as Coleraine eased to a comfortable Danske Bank Premiership victory at Celtic Park.
Three days after being hammered 5-1 by Cliftonville the Bannsiders responded by claiming their third win in five games.
There was kit confusion before this game, when the visitors were told to wear green socks due to a clash with Celtic’s white. The pre-match confusion was replaced by mass confusion in the Donegal Celtic defence and McVey was gifted the opening goal after just three minutes when he tapped-in McIlmoyle’s corner-kick.
Coleraine’s second goal, in the 18th minute, was a carbon-copy of the first, another McIlmoyle corner that cannoned off the leg of defender Paul Bradley, though Curtis Allen was quick to claim the glory.
Whatever hopes Celtic had of building on a strong finish to the first-half, they were dashed when McVey bagged his second of the game, with McIlmoyle again the provider. Centre-half McVey headed the winger’s perfect free-kick past goalkeeper John Connolly in a minute after the break to kill off any threat Celtic posed after a strong finish to the first-half.
Hoops striker Mark Miskimmin, pulled one back from close range in the 60th minute to take his tally to four goals in five league games this season.
Celtic came close to scoring again, but McVeigh and Miskimmin wasted chances. At the other end Connolly denied McVey his hat-trick with a smart save in the 77th minute.
The only down side to the Bannsiders’ impressive win was the loss of Lee Colligan, who left the venue in an ambulance with a broken ankle.
Donegal Celtic: Connolly, McNamee, Hughes, Lagan, P Bradley, L Bradley, Cleary, Gargan (Gargan 71), Miskimmin, McVeigh, Keegan (Dolan 71). Subs: Murphy, Burns, McAllister
Coleraine: Doherty, Beverland, McVey, Ogilby, Lowry, Allen, Harkin (Hegarty 67), McIlmoyle, Canning, Boyce (Owens 82), Colligan (Scullion 65). Subs: Cullen, Hegarty, Boyd, Owens
Referee: Iain McNab.
