Coleraine: We know how tough Motherwell tie will be - Kearney
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Bannsiders boss Oran Kearney says Motherwell start as firm favourites for the Europa League second-round qualifier at the Showgrounds.
Coleraine stunned Maribor in Slovenia last week to progress while Motherwell thumped Glentoran 5-1 at Fir Park.
"The home draw is big for us but Motherwell finished third in Scotland last season and Stephen Robinson has a fantastic squad," said Kearney.
"They're full-time, were part-time - we know how tough it will be."
Coleraine won a dramatic penalty shootout to overcome a Maribor side which was in the Champions League with Liverpool and Sevilla as recently as 2017-18.
Victory over another Scottish side gave the Irish League club their last major success in Europe, with a win over Kilmarnock way back in the Fairs Cup in 1970.
No coincidence
Kearney believes his team's impressive European run this year is not a coincidence, with the Covid-19 lockdown and subsequent curtailment of the Irish Premiership season allowing more time on the training pitch.
Coleraine matched Maribor for fitness despite the game going to extra-time and now former St Mirren boss Kearney is suggesting a permanent change to the structure of the Irish League season to help teams in European competition.
"We're in to our ninth or 10th week of training and never as a player or manager have I ever been so well prepared," he told 成人论坛 Radio Ulster's Sportsound Extra Time.
"Usually you have a week-and-a-half or two weeks training with one friendly and then play European games at the end of June or the start of July.
Watch: Coleraine shock Maribor with victory on penalties
"Now we're nine or 10 weeks down the line and eight to nine games down the line we're a different animal - I was so proud of our levels of fitness against Maribor.
"If we played the game in a normal season I'm confident the outcome would have been different.
"We should look at the the option of tweaking either end of the season to try and take in European football. It's a conversation worth having - it's a sign that having that training behind us puts us in a better position."
Click here to hear the full interview with Oran Kearney on Monday night's Sportsound Extra Time.