Getting our big guns back out on the pitch has given my Coleraine side a chance of securing European football, says boss Oran Kearney ahead of Crusaders tussle

The Bannsiders have struggled with injuries to key personnel this season but rallied to secure a top-six place and are now 90 minutes from qualifying for the Europa Conference League after a 3-0 semi-final win against Glentoran.

A brace from Jamie McGonigle - either side of Lyndon Kane's finish - gave Kearney's boys away day joy and secured their first ever play-off win in the process.

Coleraine lost 6-0 at The Oval back in January but things look much more rosey on the north coast now due to the return of experienced bodies, plus the arrivals of Rory Brown, Jack Scott and Jamie McGonigle in the winter transfer window.

"It would be interesting to see the team sheet that day compared to what we had here tonight," said Kearney on the growth of his team since that heavy defeat at the same venue at the start of the year.

"I sound like a broken record and I've taken a lot of stick but I've said it all along that our training, the way we get about our business and everything like that hasn't changed all season.

"We still do the same things, the same expectations and everything else but the big difference in the last eight or nine weeks has been getting our big guns back out on the pitch.

"For big parts of the season we've struggled with injuries and suspension, Jamie McGonigle only arrived in January and Matthew Shevlin has missed a huge chunk of the season.

"To have those two on the pitch makes teams think at the other end and gives you a threat.

"Goals win games and we struggled to score goals at the start of the season, meaning we weren't picking up enough wins."

Kearney stressed that the win in east Belfast was only half-time in their quest of European football as attention quickly turns to Monday’s final against Crusaders at Seaview.

Crusaders have won two out of their four games against Coleraine this season – both away from home – whilst the Bannsiders picked up a win and a draw at Seaview earlier in the campaign.

"That was the sole task of tonight. The task was to try and make four teams become two and for us to be a part of the two,” he added.

"It'll be no mean feat to go there and play against a Crusaders team who are renowned for their home form and how well they play at Seaview.

"I think we've shown tonight that on our day and we've said it all season, we are confident of going and hurting most teams in the league.

"Monday's a new script, it's up to us to go and start from scratch again to have a big push at it.

"Whether we won four games against them this year or lost four, I don't think this game will be very different.

"Tonight felt different to even a Cup game but the big thing for us is making sure we turn up on Monday.”