Coleraine's Matthew Shevlin is hoping it's a case of fourth time lucky in cup final

Oran Kearney's men looked nailed on to lift the trophy for a second successive time as Shevlin and Stephen Lowry had Coleraine two goals to the good but the Reds produced a mammoth late comeback to take the tie into extra-time, which they went on to win 4-3.

However, 12 months’ later, Coleraine return to Windsor Park for yet another appearance in the decider.

And Shevlin believes the Bannsiders have managed to learn from last year's disappointment.

"Last year's final hasn't really been talked about too much," the Ballymena native said. "It was hurtful last year being 2-0 up with 15 minutes to go and then losing the game the way we did.

"It sort of took its toll on us for the rest of the season.

"But I think this season we have a bit of a stronger mentality.

"We've got ourselves back in the cup final and, hopefully, we can go one better this season.

"I think we have a stronger team and squad now than we had a year ago.

"We've a lot more squad depth.

"Though we've been down to the bare bones the past few weeks.

"Once we get a few boys back and firing on all cylinders again we'll have a stronger squad than last year.

"I think that added squad depth is what won Cliftonville the final last season."

Shevlin - who has scored 26 goals in all competitions this season to date - believes adding the BetMcLean Cup to the cabinet could be a massive boost for the end of the campaign as Coleraine eye European qualification.

"Things just petered out last season," he recalled. "We're in a bit better position in the league this season than we were last season.

"We are still targeting an automatic European place this season.

Last year we were stuck in sixth and we couldn't really progress any higher.

"However, this season we've got the league to concentrate on as well."

The 24-year-old recently made his 100th appearance for Coleraine and believes recent recruitment at The Showgrounds can help springboard the club for further success.

"We've a good core of young players at the club at the minute," he continued. "Lyndon Kane has been there a while but he's still young...as is Conor McKendry and Andy Scott, with Kieran Farren who has arrived from the Championship and done really well.

"Over the next few years we're only going to get better playing together more.

"Our record against the top six this season has been impressive.

"Away from home we've got a good few results as well so I'd say we've definitely got a stronger mentality this season.

"We've a lot of big characters that have come into the changing room – people like Lee Lynch and Dean Jarvis - who have plenty of experience.

“So that can only help us.

"The start of the season, maybe the first 10 games, we were all passing out from the back and maybe going overboard on that but from the 0-0 draw with Glentoran we mixed that with the old Coleraine, a bit of grit and getting stuck in.

"I think we've mixed it well and that sort of kick started us on that long unbeaten run."

Coleraine will be hoping to find the back of the net against Linfield for the first time this season after two scoreless draws and a recent 2-0 defeat at Windsor Park.

However, Shevlin is adamant that they will not let that enter their heads when the two teams square off tomorrow.

"It is not really a concern that we haven't scored against them this season because you look at our recent game, they had two main chances and scored two goals while we had chances to go ahead or go in level at half-time and maybe should have got something out of the game," he added. "The previous two games were two 0-0 draws, so not getting beat against Linfield some teams would say that's a good thing.

"I think we were a bit unlucky against them a couple of weeks ago and didn't get a rub of the green with some of the decisions.

"We'll not be looking at our record against Linfield as an indicator for the final."

Despite scoring in every round of last year's competition - it is fair to say the BetMcLean Cup hasn't been too kind to Shevlin when it comes to final appearances.

The striker lost out for Ballymena United against Dungannon Swifts in 2018 and then against Linfield a year later, before losing with Coleraine against Cliftonville last year.

So, can the ex-Linfield man make it fourth time lucky against his former club and finally get his hands on a winner’s medal in the competition?

"This is my fourth League Cup final and I've lost the other three unfortunately," he sighed. "I was hoping that wouldn't come up!

"I thought it might have been third time lucky last year but, hopefully, it's fourth time lucky.

"Winning it last year would have been more special than if I had won it either the previous two times because I was a starter last season and one of the main players.

"This season it would be even better...beating Linfield on their own pitch."