Coleraine penalty pain as Northern Ireland’s Trevor Carson is Motherwell hero

Northern Ireland international Trevor Carson was the hero for the Scottish Premiership side as he saved all three penalties from the hosts. But it was harsh on Oran Kearney’s men, who battled back from 2-0 down after first-half goals from Callum Lang and Tony Watt. Two penalties from Ben Doherty after the break deservedly took Coleraine into extra-time. They were excellent in the second half and unlucky not to convert one of several opportunities that came along. The Well hung on in extra-time after Bevis Mugabi was dismissed in the build-up to Doherty’s second spot-kick. With no more goals in extra-time it was on to penalties - with Ian Parkhill, Lyndon Kane and Gareth McConaghie all denied by Carson. The hosts had Gareth Deane to thank on seven minutes as Stephen O’Donnell picked up a loose ball in the box, but the home keeper reacted well to block his close-range effort before the ball was eventually headed wide for a goal-kick. Kearney’s men were forced into an early change as Aaron Jarvis was forced off with a shoulder injury. Jamie Glackin came on for his first appearance since the Irish Cup semi-final when he suffered a broken arm. The substitute almost made an immediate impact as his in-swinging free-kick picked out James McLaughlin, but his powerful header lashed inches wide of the post on 15 minutes. Within a minute Motherwell had broken the deadlock. Lang picked up the ball in the six-yard box, his initial shot was blocked by Deane and the keeper also managed to parry the follow-up rebound, but the striker eventually poked home the loose ball. The Bannsiders had a penalty appeal waved away on 22 minutes as McLaughlin went down in the box under a challenge from Mugabi. The hosts had Aaron Traynor to thank for keeping them in the game on 29 minutes as he headed Declan Gallagher’s shot off the line after Deane had dropped O’Donnell’s long throw. At the other end, the full-back whipped a great ball into the box for Josh Carson. but the midfielder’s volley fizzed over the bar from the edge of the box. The Well did double their advantage nine minutes before the break as Liam Polworth teed up Watt on the edge of the box and he drilled a low shot past Deane. Coleraine wasted another great opportunity in first-half stoppage time as Kane picked out McLaughlin in the box, but again he failed to hit the target with his header. The home side made the perfect start to the second half as Doherty reduced the deficit. The midfielder was bundled over in the box by Mark O’Hara and he made no mistake with the spot-kick. Coleraine thought they had equalised on the hour mark as McConaghie slammed the ball home from close range, but the flag went up for offside in the build-up. The Bannsiders spurned another glorious opportunity on 73 minutes as Glackin’s sublime free-kick picked out the unmarked Stephen Lowry in front of goal, but the midfielder’s effort from eight yards flew inches over the bar. As the game edged towards 90 minutes Coleraine were awarded another penalty as Mugabi wrestled Eoin Bradley to the ground after a clever flick-on by Glackin. The Well defender was sent off before Doherty held his nerve to fire home and take the game into extra-time. The visitors carved out the first real opening on 97 minutes as substitute Chris Long raced past Kane and McConaghie into the box, but he fired his shot past the near post. The Bannsiders then hit the bar on 108 minutes as Bradley got on the end of Glackin’s dinked cross, with O’Hara hacking the ball of the line. And right at the death, Well keeper Carson had to tip over his namesake Josh’s cross-cum-shot. Coleraine: Deane, Kane, Traynor (Parkhill, 74), McConaghie, O’Donnell, Carson, Lowry, Jarvis (Glackin, 8), Doherty, Nixon (Bradley, 51), McLaughlin (Allen 117). Subs (not used): Gallagher, Mullan, Tweed Motherwell: Carson, Lamie, McGinley (Seedorf, 65), Campbell (Long, 91), O’Hara, Mugabi, Polworth (Maguire, 87), Lang (Hastie, 87), Gallagher, Watt, O’Donnell. Subs (not used): Morrison, Grimshaw, MacIver Referee: Antti Munukka (Finland)