SHIELDS AND VERTAINEN WIN THE DAY FOR BLUES
Linfield defeated Coleraine in a dress rehearsal for next month's BetMcLean Cup final at Windsor Park.
The Blues moved in front after 14 minutes when Chris Shields sent Gareth Deane the wrong way from the spot, awarded after Dean Jarvis was adjudged to have handled inside the area.
Linfield came close to doubling their lead midway through the first half but Daniel Finlayson could only nod Kirk Millar's free-kick just wide.
Coleraine might have levelled moments from the break after both Matthew Shevlin and Andy Scott failed to make the most of Lyndon Kane's cross from the right.
Eetu Vertainen extended Linfield's advantage just five minutes into the second half. Millar sent another dangerous ball into the box from which Matthew Clarke forced a save from Deane with the ball then falling for Vertainen to poke home from close range.
David Healy's side might have added a third as the game progressed after Joel Cooper pulled the ball back for Finlayson only for his shot to crash back off the woodwork.
Linfield: Johns, Roscoe, Shields, Callacher, Millar, Cooper, M. Clarke, Finlayson, Mulgrew, Vertainen, Lafferty subs Walsh, Hall, McKee, Haygarth, A. Clarke, Palmer, Annett
Coleraine: Deane, Kane, D. Jarvis, A. Jarvis, O’Donnell, Lynch, Glackin, O’Mahony, McDermott, Shevlin, Scott subs Doherty, Mullan, McCrudden, Carson, Fyfe, Carlin, McLaughlin
Substitution 
Substitution 
