Coleraine 'worst draw' for Limavady - Owens

Limavady United manager Paul Owens said his side's Irish Cup quarter-final against Coleraine on Saturday was the draw he "didn't want."

Owens' side were the victors against Irish Premiership defending champions Linfield in the last 16 with Carrick Rangers defeated by the Bannsiders in extra-time.

Limavady sit second in the Championship but are without a win in their last three games while local rivals, Coleraine, are third in the Irish Premiership.

"This is the worst draw that we could have got and one that I didn't want," Owens said.

"Hopefully we'll play without fear and put in a good performance that will match the crowd.

"If we weren't playing Coleraine then I would be supporting them to win it and if they are to go on and be in the semi-final, strangely enough, I'll be going out to support them."

Coleraine boss Ruaidhri Higgins is a familiar face for Owens with both managers in the same class in Termoncanice Primary School.

Both played in the football team who reached the Northern Ireland schools final in 1994.

"I've so much respect for the people there; there's people at that club that I've known basically my whole life," Higgins said.

"But, on Saturday, our job is to try and get Coleraine FC into a semi-final of the Irish Cup which would be a brilliant occasion.

"I'm sure there'll be a good crowd here on Saturday, but we have to fully focus on the task at hand and try and put in a good performance for a few reasons."

Limavady have been playing their home fixtures at the Showgrounds while the Roesiders continue to lay an artificial surface at their own ground.

However, they will not make Coleraine use the away dressing room nor the away fan section with Owens adding the clubs have a "really good relationship and respect."

"I have a good relationship with Ruaidhri and a couple of the players but, come game time, we'll be going out there to try and win that game and give a good account of ourselves," Owens continued.

"We have a really good relationship and respect between the two clubs - I didn't feel the need to annoy Coleraine by putting them in the away section. I just don't think that was the right thing to do.

"So, I was more than happy to keep them in their comfortable position and in the home dugout - they've been very kind to us, sharing the gate - so it's more out of respect than anything else."

Coleraine will be aiming to get back to winning ways after being defeated by Dungannon Swifts 3-1 last weekend in the Irish Premiership.

This loss ended the side's six-game league unbeaten run and means they are now six points behind top of the table Larne.

However, this week, attentions will turn to the side reaching the semi-finals of the Irish Cup for the first time since 2020.

"It's a brilliant fixture and I'm sure there'll be a big crowd. We know how difficult they can be to play against, Higgins continued.

"They've got some good players in attacking areas, some real experience throughout their team, no more so than the Lowry brothers who must have 100 medals between the two of themselves!

"Full respect for them but we'll be going all out to get the win."