Oran Kearney predicts Matthew Shevlin could be sidelined for 'a month or two' after picking up injury against Larne

Last season’s Golden Boot winner left Inver Park on crutches after being substituted following a challenge from defender Cian Bolger in the opening moments of a 2-0 defeat to the defending champions.

The 24-year-old had already missed three matches earlier in the season after receiving a red card against Ballymena United and his extended absence will be a bitter blow for Kearney.

Coleraine will be seeking Premiership revenge on Carrick Rangers this afternoon, who defeated them 2-0 in August’s meeting with Kyle Cherry and David Cushley scoring for Stuart King’s side.

The Bannsiders are enduring a tricky period but will take great confidence from the fact they’ve won their last 13 at home against Carrick, keeping clean sheets in the four prior to today.

Andy Scott and Graham Kelly also had to be replaced against Larne due to injuries, leaving Kearney with potential selection headaches.

“It will be another tough game,” he told the club’s website. “It’s been so stop-start for Matthew with suspension and injury, and now another injury that looks to keep him out for another few weeks at least.

“I feel we should have played against 10 men as Cian Bolger has misjudged where the ball is at and it’s really dangerous where he caught Matthew. I would say he would be out for a month or two.

“Andy looks like he’s tweaked his hamstring which could be a few weeks and I hope a knock to Graham Kelly isn’t serious as we can’t afford to lose any more bodies.

“It’s been hard to gain that bit of momentum that we would like. We’re big boys, it’s a big boy’s league, and we’ve got to dust ourselves down and gather the troops.”

Carrick were defeated by Cliftonville last weekend, but King has called for his players to produce similar application as they look to rebound.

"It's going to be another tough game,” he told the club’s media channel. “They are one of the top sides in the country.

“If my guys give me what they gave me (against Cliftonville), we can keep the ball and move the ball better when we go to a 3G pitch and we affect them more than they can affect us, then hopefully we can get a result."