DOHERTY HITS SPOT-KICK DOUBLE
Two Ben Doherty penalties helped Coleraine defeat Cliftonville at The Showgrounds.
Coleraine got off to a great start when, on 13 minutes, they moved in front courtesy of Ben Doherty's spot-kick awarded after Aaron McCarey had brought down Matthew Shevlin.
Oran Kearney's side almost doubled their advantage just after the half-hour mark when James McLaughlin unleashed a stunning 35-yard half-volley which left McCarey stranded only to crash back off the crossbar.
Cliftonville enjoyed plenty of possession throughout the first half but lacked the cutting edge in front of goal.
And that pattern continued into the second half, but the Reds were punished again just after the hour. Shevlin raced onto a poor back header from Kris Lowe and was duly brought down by the advancing McCarey, who was also sent off for his troubles with Doherty stepping up to send the subsequent penalty past replacement keeper Declan Dunne.
There was almost a third for Coleraine late in the game but, for the second time, McLaughlin was denied by the crossbar after he attempted to head home Jamie Glackin's free-kick.
Coleraine: Gallagher, Kane, Canning, Doherty, Lowry, McLaughlin, Bradley, Carson, O'Donnell, Traynor, Shevlin subs Mullan (not used), Jarvis (replaced Carson 70), Wilson (not used), Tweed (not used), Parkhill (replaced Shevlin 78), Glackin (replaced Bradley 64), Allen (not used)
Cliftonville: McCarey, Breen, O'Reilly, O'Connor, R. Curran, McCrudden, Donnelly, Hale, Lowe, Kearns, Coffey subs Dunne (replaced Breen 62), Harney (not used), C. Curran (replaced Kearns 69), Foster (replaced Coffey 69), Bagnall (not used), Casey (not used), O'Brien (not used)
Substitution 
Substitution 
