Former Coleraine star Howard Beverland believes the Bannsiders’ attacking triple threat of Joel Cooper, Matthew Shevlin and new recruit Conor McMenamin is “unmatched” in the Irish League.

Northern Ireland international McMenamin became Ruaidhri Higgins’ latest star signing this week, penning a three-year contract.

The 30-year-old lit up the Premiership during his previous stint in Northern Ireland’s top-flight, scoring 33 league goals across two full seasons at Glentoran.

McMenamin has spent the past three years in Scotland with St Mirren, winning a League Cup crown last term, and his arrival solidifies Coleraine’s status as Gibson Cup favourites.

placeholder image — Conor McMenamin has returned to the Irish League with Coleraine. (Photo: Dylan Kirkpatrick/Coleraine FC)

The former Cliftonville winger will form a formidable strike force alongside Cooper, who scored 21 goals in 37 league appearances during his first season after joining from Linfield, and Shevlin – the striker netted 20 times in the Premiership and twice in Coleraine’s Irish Cup final triumph.

As a former Premiership defender, Beverland came up against several potent combinations, but doesn’t believe any match the firepower now at Coleraine’s disposal.

"In regards to high-profile signings, that's (McMenamin) definitely up there,” he said. "Thinking of attack forces over the years in the Irish League, that may potentially be the strongest with what they each bring.

"You look over the years, a lot of teams would have two fantastic attackers, the likes of Glenn Ferguson and Peter Thompson, Joe Gormley and Liam Boyce, but if you look at those three at the top end of the pitch, I feel as a three it's unmatched.

"Other teams will know that they'll have to be at their best to cope and deal with that force. If those three are all on the pitch at the same time, it's exciting for the league and it has to give Coleraine a real profile to go into Europe and give a good account.

"I think Conor is such an example to players where it's not always this linear path...it's really good to see that you don't always have to go across the water as a teenager, there are opportunities down the line.

"He was able to put it together, he flourished at Glentoran and moved across to Scotland. He has good agents there in Bazza (Brian Adair) and Keith Gillespie, they're good guys who will look after him.

"It's exciting for Coleraine fans...they must feel like they've hit the jackpot! If you're supporting Coleraine right now, anything is possible it feels.

"There's such a buzz around the club, and even as a player, you always loved a great player coming in because it was going to improve the team and the chances of winning.”

Coleraine’s attacking talent will be ably supported by the likes of Will Patching, who was named in NIFWA’s Team of the Year last term.

The Co Londonderry club enjoyed a successful first full campaign under Higgins, finishing second before claiming Irish Cup glory, and Beverland predicts they’ll go one better in the Premiership next term.

"I watched Will Patching in the cup final, you know a good player when they just seem to have time on the ball and other teams stand off them,” he added. “You can see that he gets space on the pitch because he's just got that aura about him.

"On the ball, I think he's one of the best I've seen in terms of composure.

"You look at (Kodi) Lyons-Foster who will be coming back in at centre-half, he'll be almost like a new signing.

"There's a great excitement building and with that comes the expectation to deliver...I think they can.

"There mightn't be many in their squad who have won a league title before and maybe that showed last season when they'd a small dip in form, but this season they'll know what it takes to get there.

"I don't remember a time in the league where teams have had this sort of budget, this is new territory for the Irish League because you're working with such a budget where you can make the impossible happen in way of bringing players in, it's uncharted times really.”