A brace from Matthew Shevlin brought Carrick Rangers’ League Cup campaign to a close at the Loughshore Hotel Arena on Wednesday evening.

With a depleted squad and a bench filled with youth, Stuart King was forced to shuffle the pack somewhat as Emmett McGuckin and Jordan Gibson partnered in attack for the first time this season.

No less than twelve minutes had passed for the first goal of the game to arrive; ex-Carrick striker Cathair Friel floated a cross to the back post where Jamie Glackin headed the ball to Matthew Shevlin who finished from close range.

Emmett McGuckin was nearly gifted a chance to draw his team level as he came close to pouncing upon a loose back-pass, but Coleraine ‘keeper Gareth Deane was out in the nick of time to clear the danger.

On the half hour mark a mix up in the Bannsiders backline saw a defender try to head the ball back to Deane, not realising the net minder had rushed out to claim it, and a free kick was awarded when it struck him on his hand outside the box.

From the set piece, skipper Mark Surgenor’s effort clipped the wall and went narrowly wide of the upright.

Oran Kearney’s troops looked to kill the game off in the second half; Josh Carson came close to doing just that on 66 minutes but was denied by a fine double save from Neil Shields before Jim Ervin cleared the ball.

However, the away side’s second goal would come eight minutes from time as Surgenor headed the ball inadvertently to the feet of Shevlin who made no mistake with a finish into the top corner.

The Rangers captain had a chance to give his side some late hope after a penalty was awarded when Gareth Deane collided with Emmett McGuckin in the box, but the save was made as the goalkeeper dived low to his right to deny the defender’s spot-kick.

Carrick Rangers: Shields; Forsythe, Surgenor, Ervin, Tilney. D. Kelly, Cherry (Kalla, 69), Anderson; E. Kelly (Mulholland, 85); McGuckin, Gibson.

Unused substitutes: Skeet, Buchanan-Rolleston, Doyle, McGimpsey, Hoy.

Coleraine: Deane: Kane, O’Donnell, Mullan, Brown (Traynor, 69): Glackin (Bradley, 69), Lowry, Wilson (McKendry, 69), Carson; Friel, Shevlin (Parkhill, 85).