IRISH CUP: Hamilton left to rue Glenavon's missed chances

The Lurgan Blues were aiming to make it to a third Irish Cup final in four years, but in the end they couldn’t finish the job.

The cup holders spurned several good opportunities in front of goal in a frantic finale at the Ballymena Showgrounds.

And they were made to pay as Coleraine did not let their chance slip when it came along leaving Hamilton to contemplate what might have been.

“They put the ball in the back of the net, that’s the difference in football,” he said after the game.

“I thought we were well in the game, but that’s been the story of our season.

“I’m sick, sore and tired saying it, we were probably the better team today, but as I say it’s all about scoring goals.

“That’s how you win games of football, and that’s something we have done successfully over the last three seasons.

“Unfortunately this season we haven’t done that, and that’s the reason why we are in the position we are.

“Fair play to Coleraine, it’s fairly deserved because they took their chances when they came along.

“You can talk all you want about how good you are and how much possession you had, but the only thing matters at the end of the day and that’s who scores the most goals.

“We created a lot of chances, but we didn’t put them in the back of the net.

“That’s why I have gone out and signed Andy Mitchell for next season because I need someone who can put the ball in the back of the net consistently.

“I know for a fact if he had been playing today we would have won that game.”

Hamilton will now have to pick his squad up in a hope to secure European football through the end of season play-off.

He said: “European football is massive for any club, and particularly ourselves.

“We knew if we got into the final we would be in a good position for next year.

“Now it’s all up in the air again and we won’t know if we will be in Europe until the week after the Irish Cup final.

“If we are going to do it somebody is going to have to stand up and be counted.

“People talk about brave players, brave players take responsibility in the box, take chances have shots and don’t be afraid to miss.

“I can’t fault anyone for effort or giving the football club all they have got, but you have to be brave to score goals.

“It’s about playing with no fear, as a striker when you start being afraid to shoot or you start hiding that’s when you should wrap it up.

“This is not a one-off occurrence today, this has been happening all season.”