Coleraine confirm European plans as talisman returns ahead of Conference League clash
Coleraine have confirmed their Conference League second qualifying round home clash with HJK Helsinki will take place at Larne’s Inver Park on July 30.
With The Showgrounds currently not able to host European football, the Irish FA confirmed Coleraine had nominated Windsor Park as their venue for continental competition when announcing licensing decisions in April.
However, after Inver Park received FIFA PRO certification earlier this month, the Bannsiders have now opted to stage the second leg against their Finnish opponents in Larne rather than Belfast.
Ruaidhri Higgins’ side will travel to Helsinki’s Bolt Arena on Thursday – their first European match in five years – and prepared with another pre-season friendly win over Portadown on Saturday.
Jay Henderson starred against the Ports, scoring a second half brace alongside providing an assist for Kodi Lyons-Foster’s header in a 3-0 home triumph.
In another major boost for Coleraine ahead of European action, both Joel Cooper and Will Patching made their first appearances of the summer.
Patching, who turned a loan move from Carlisle United into a permanent stay in January, started on Saturday while Cooper came off the bench at half-time.
Cooper scored 21 goals in 37 Premiership appearances during his debut campaign after joining from Linfield and also netted in their Irish Cup final win over Dungannon Swifts.
He travelled to London a matter of days after celebrating glory at Windsor Park to undergo surgery on both knees, telling the BBC at the time: "I go to London tomorrow for surgery on both knees.
"I've been struggling all season, probably since October.
"The medical team at Coleraine have been brilliant with me and I've been monitored very closely, there's the odd game I haven't been able to make it but the majority of the time I've been on the pitch, I maybe haven't been 100% but I'm not one who can sit back and watch, I like to be involved."
Coleraine are already guaranteed to bank at least €525,000 in prize money for taking part in the Conference League’s second qualifying round with progression worth an extra €200,000.