Larne set to be without defensive trio as manager Tiernan Lynch finds it difficult to summarise goalless draw against Coleraine

The two teams would cancel each other out for large spells, however, the woodwork would be hit by each team as Thomas Maguire’s cross cannoned off the crossbar, whilst Lyndon Kane’s piledriver clipped the post for the hosts

A draw was ultimately a deserved outcome from the 90 minutes of action with unsure if it was a case of a "good point or two points dropped".

He said: "Coleraine's a really tough place to come - we all know that.

"They're a top side, they've got good players albeit they lost on Tuesday night and we knew there was going to be an element of a wounded animal.

"Having watched so many games back from the first couple of games, they play some really good football and play with a lot of confidence, so we knew it wasn't going to be easy.

"I think we had a few good chances that we could and should have done better with.

"It looked like there was no kind of rhythm to our play, we couldn't get a foothold in the game and it was a bit of a ding-dong.

"We will take a point, we struggled a couple of times down here last year as Coleraine beat us twice.

"It was important we built on last year and what we needed to do.

"It's one of those ones where you're left wondering and scratching your head if it's a good point or not a good point.

"Unfortunately, I don't have an answer at this stage."

Lynch will be sweating on the fitness of defensive duo Tomas Cosgrove and Shaun Want after they had to be replaced, with Levi Ives adding to the defensive crisis as he was sent-off late on.

The reigning champions are already without Cian Bolger and Aaron Donnelly through injury.

"Tomas Cosgrove has struggled all week with a knock which affected his breathing," he added.

"I think Shaun Want took an awkward fall, and maybe a bit of a twist there, I'm not too sure.

"When you're making changes to your back three when you're already without Cian Bolger and Aaron Donnelly, it's not easy.

"Credit to the ones who came in, I thought Ali Omar did well and Levi Ives has had to play in a back three the last few games but he's experienced and you know what you're going to get.

"But as they say, as one door closes another one opens and we've got to stay positive and look at the good things."

Ives was dismissed for two fouls on Conor McKendry which means the left-back will miss out on facing former club Cliftonville next weekend.

Lynch sighed: "I'm always going to tell you I thought it was harsh!

"I asked Raymond at the end and he said Levi blocked his run and pulled him back at the end.

"If that's what happened, that's what happened.

"I thought at the time it was a bit harsh but there's probably a little bit of bias on my part.”