IRISH CUP: Defender Ogilby determined to grab Irish Cup chance

Former Institute skipper David Ogilby is the current longest serving player at the club having made the switch to The Showgrounds from Drumahoe in 2010

The commanding centre half has helped the Bannsiders record the third best defensive record so far this term.

The 32-year-old is hoping they can make it a real season to remember with the opportunity of bringing silverware back to the club along with European football in his sights.

“The game against Glenavon in the Irish Cup semi-final is huge for the football club,” he said.

“The financial rewards for qualifying for Europe are significant for the club and we will work very hard to grab that chance.”

Ogilby is loving playing along side the young talent at The Showgrounds and paid tribute to Oran Kearney for the faith he has shown in the players.

“At the start of the season we had a small squad of about 17 or 18 players and many of them were young players,” said Ogilby.

“We lost Ruairi Harkin and Oran opted to let the young players come through and develop. They have performed very well and we have a good balance of youth and experience.

“The 12 wins and two draws in 14 matches is a fantastic run and confidence is high.

“You have an extra spring in your step when form is good, we’ve come through a bad spell and shown great mental strength to transform our fortunes.

“Yes, the picture looked bleak after losing to Ballymena United on Boxing Day, but we also knew there was a lot of football still to be played this season.”

With the unbeaten run showing no signs of stopping confidence is high in the Coleraine camp.

They have only tasted defeat once at home this season when Cliftonville secured a 1-0 win back in December.

And Kearney admitted recording positive results against the likes of Crusaders and Linfield makes his job easier.

“My job is to try and inspire people and enthuse them, and try and make them believe they can play,” admitted the Bannsiders boss.

“When you beat Linfield at their place, and you bring the champions down here and beat them too there’s not as big a need for me to do that because actions speak louder than words.

“No matter what I say to the guys they know what they have just done and they know the direction they are moving in and that’s more powerful than anything I can say.

“We have made this place a bit of a fortress now, we wanted to make it a place where teams don’t fancy coming.

“We have only one defeat here this season which is a great record which the lads should be very proud of.”