Loughgall 2 Larne 3

Aug 27, 2018 | Archive

LARNE left Lakeview Park with all three points on Friday night after a dramatic end to a topsy turvy encounter.

The Invermen saw what looked like a comfortable 2-0 lead disappear in the space of a sloppy 60 seconds, before recovering to win it with a 94th minute goal.

After an even opening quarter, in which Conor Mullen and Jeff Hughes went close at either end, it was Larne who began to turn the screw.

Marty Donnelly broke the deadlock five minutes before the break, when he picked up a loose ball from a corner and curled it from a tight angle.

Darren Stuart then had an opportunity to double the advantage before half-time, but his one-on-one effort was well saved by Gareth Buchanan.

Donnelly doubled the advantage shortly after the break, when he raced on to a fine pass from Ben Tilney, to loft the ball into the roof of the net.

However, it was all change on the hour mark when Gary Liggett pounced on a mix-up at the back to round Conor Devlin and slot home.

A minute later and Tomas Cosgrove was deemed to have committed a foul inside the box, with Andy Hoey converting from 12 yards.

Both sides went in search of the winner for the remaining half hour, but it was Larne who came closet when Jeff Hughes saw his goalbound header somehow turned wide by Buchanan.

Hughes then had a strong penalty appeal turned down, as it looked like the game would finish honours even.

However, in the 94th minute Paul Finnegan, who had just come off the bench, got on the end of Donnelly’s free-kick to force home a valuable winner.

Next up for Tiernan Lynch’s men is a Bet McLean League Cup 2nd Round tie away to Glentoran (7.45pm) on Tuesday 28th August.

 

Larne: Devlin, McEleney (Finnegan), Kelly, Stewart (Gilmour), Donnelly, Stuart (Scullion), Tilney, Hassin, McNally, Cosgrove, Hughes

 

Unused Subs: Doughterty, Ramsey

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