Oran Kearney credits his Coleraine players who 'keep finding answers'

The Bannsiders looked like suffering a blow in the title race as Conor McMenamin's curling effort gave Glentoran a 2-1 lead with just eight minutes to go.

However, the hosts would leave with a deserved draw as Matthew Shevlin converted his 25th goal of the campaign late on.

Despite being pleased at salvaging something from the contest, Kearney was left to rue his side's finishing in front of goal as Shevlin missed two chances after the break and a first-half penalty.

“I thought we did enough to win it but with Conor’s strike it looked like we had lost it,” he said.

“To be fair to the players, and we’ve done it a lot this season, where people can question character and everything that goes with it but when we keep doing it and getting answers you have to give the players credit.

“I thought overall on chances created, albeit they had territorial advantage at times, we broke well and created chances.

“There were other times that we were maybe just one pass away.

“We’ve got to keep punching.

“They had 18 players here today and another seven or eight who didn’t make the squad, whilst we had a 17 and 18-year-old on the bench.

“Everyone who turned up today expected us to give it a rattle and a right go and we did and will continue to do it.

“We have a great changing room, a great spirit about us at this point in time and we want to tap into that.

“The key thing is that it’s business time and there’s 33 points available.

“We have to target it and pick up three points against Newry City.”

Coleraine had taken the lead on 24 minutes through Dean Jarvis' clinical finish and Kearney was full of praise for the full-back’s contribution since his summer arrival.

“I’m delighted for Dean Jarvis to be named ‘Man of the Match’ as how he hasn’t had more of them this season I’ll never know,” he queried.

“Not even for the goal, in all aspects he’s been one of our best players this season and has gone under the radar in terms of others getting the plaudits.

“He’s been superb for us and showed all the experience he has.”