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Owner: Kenny Bruce LARNE FOOTBALL CLUB is very firmly We will have the largest attendance at concentrating on the Cup tonight. The Inver Park for a competitive match this Trustees phrase ‘concentrating on the Cup’ season, and it could well surpass the Kenny Bruce, Gareth Clements, usually means that you’re nowhere in attendance for the Rangers friendly in Robert Hutchinson, Roy Logan, John the league and have nothing left to play October. It is vital that our supporters McKinstry, Raymond Robinson. Board of Directors for other than trying to put together a make their presence felt tonight. Chairman: Gareth Clements, decent Cup run. That, however, could Ian Cahoon, Willie Carson, Lyn not be further from the truth for Larne. Under Tiernan Lynch, Larne have Kernohan, Mervyn McKay, Andrew been very strong at home with only McNickle, Raymond Robinson, Andrew Scullion, Archie Smyth. February is only just behind us and Institute and Ards coming out on top at Commercial Director: Gavin incredibly only six consecutive defeats Inver Park in almost two seasons. The Clements for Larne and six wins for Carrick unbeaten home record is now some Marketing Executive: Chris Liddle Rangers coupled with a 40+ swing in 16 months long, but tonight will be a Media: Ian Cahoon, Andrew Neill, Ross Nicholson, Lewis McAdam, goal difference can deny the Inver severe test of that record. Andrew Scullion, Peter Wilson. Reds the title. Men’s First Team Whilst there have been personnel Manager: Tiernan Lynch We host Ballinamallard United next changes at and they haven’t Assistant Manager: Seamus Lynch Saturday with just a single point matched last season’s achievements in First Team Coach: Tim McCann Goalkeeping Coach: Michael required to secure the club’s first the Danske Bank Premiership, they will Dougherty league title since the B Division triumph be eager to successfully defend the Strength & Conditioning Coach: in 1972 and our first promotion to the Tennent’s . Darren McWilliams top flight since 2003. Sports Therapist: Joe Crawford Team Attendant: Martin Bird It’s a tantalising tie, so much so that we Larne Ladies Last season’s Tennent’s Irish Cup welcome the BBC cameras for tonight’s Manager: William Noble run was memorable and certainly game. For the first time ever, a match Assistant Manager: Gary Hood contributed to the buzz which has built will be broadcast live on TV from Inver Coach: Craig Leworthy Olympic Manager: Daniel Carlisle around the club over the last 18 months. Park. That, in itself, is a little piece of Team Attendant: Elaine Kernaghan history for the club and Inver Park. Development Squad (Olympic/ Our Quarter Final win away to U18s) United felt like a landmark It has been a remarkable season, the Manager: Hugh McKendry result in many ways. A major like of which we’re unlikely to see Assistant Manager: Neil Candlish Larne Youth contributing factor was that the town again, but perhaps the taking of a Head of Youth Development: Niall and everyone at the club were well major Danske Bank Premiership scalp Curneen keyed up for it. is missing from that. Football Development Manager: Gary Haveron Girls Football Development: Daniel We took an incredible crowd for a Despite being competitive, Tiernan Carlisle mid week cup tie to Ballymena and Lynch’s side were edged out by Chairman: Willie Carson, Vice the vocal backing the team received Crusaders and Glentoran earlier this Chairman: John Ross, Secretary: that night inspired them to go on and season. Tonight is a real chance to put Andrew McNickle, Treasurer: Gregg Humphrey, Child Protection perform superbly. that right. Officer: Miriam Buchan, Assistant Child Protection Officer: Tom The challenge for our support is to bring We Are Larne. Buchan, Committee Members: Jon that same level of support tonight. Greer, Julianne Liken, Donna Marie Maguire, Kate Maxwell. Sam McFaul. MANAGER GOOD EVENING and welcome to Inver Park for a much anticipated game.

Games and occasions like this don’t come much bigger than this at the stage of the season we’re at, but it’s times like that we’re here for.

We talk day in, day out, and in our team meetings about big matches and that’s what everyone wants to be involved in. The message is - go and enjoy this.

We have gone on a great journey together, but we haven’t done anything yet, so we have to have that hunger to keep progressing.

Coleraine are a very good side, they’ve taken some big scalps this year but we’ll have a game plan that we’ll stick to and I’ve no doubt these boys won’t let anyone down.

We made changes at the Welders because some people needed a rest and others needed minutes.

Now as a management team we have a headache because people have come in and staked their claim - but it’s a good headache to have.

I have to give the players enormous credit for Saturday as well, because they showed tremendous heart, character and professionalism.

We did what we could do, which was win the match. I wouldn’t have made the changes we did if we didn’t think we had a squad to pick from who could come to a place like that and win. We have a squad that we believe in and everyone is capable of starting matches and doing what we want them to, and Saturday proved that. People talk about Larne being soft in the belly and they need the right pitch and everything else, but we went to the Welders rolled our sleeves up and dug out a very important three points. Finally, my message to the fans is that you have been absolutely and utterly phenomenal all season. You are, without a shadow of a doubt, our 12th man and we need that from now until the end of the season. Thank you, Tiernan.

CHAIRMAN

GOOD EVENING everybody and welcome to Inver Park for tonight’s Tennent’s Irish Cup Quarter Final tie with the current cup holders Coleraine. I’d like to extend an especially warm welcome to our visitors from the North West and I wish them an enjoyable visit to Larne. It is quite surreal writing this and welcoming ‘live’ BBC cameras to Inver Park for the first time in our history. Yes, it was always in our plan, however it has arrived a little earlier than expected. Like everything that has come our way since Kenny Bruce got involved, we have embraced the challenge, risen to it and I’d like to think we have delivered. In little over ten days we have poured 200 cube of concrete, fitted 749 seats and put lighting on the Riverside walkway. We have held countless meetings with planners, contactors, BBC, PSNI and local authority to ensure we got this show on the road. My thanks go to everyone who has worked around the clock to make it happen. Delivering a best in class surface and floodlighting is all well and good, but we all know atmosphere makes a game by helping lift the players performances, so we needed to accommodate as many visiting fans as safely possible to ensure that happened. I think we’ve done our best to deliver on this. I hope the BBC get the spectacle they deserve and that the improved Inver Park comes across well aesthetically and both clubs showcase the best that NIFL and the IFA bring to the local game. I have talked before about the romance of the Tennent’s Irish Cup and it being the blue riband club competition in Northern . The games and opportunities it has thrown up for the Larne clubs over the next two days fully back this up and bear testament to that old ‘magic of the cup’ saying. The majority of supporters inside Inver tonight will hope the result goes in the underdogs favour, and won’t need reminding how we felt after our semi-final reversal last year. I’d urge you to get behind the players from the start, in the hope that we can avenge this result and enjoy another opportunity to make the showcase day out in May. Like many Inver Reds, I’ll be on the road to South Down tomorrow to support our neighbours from Denis Harvey Park, as the Tech take on Warrenpoint Town. I know many of the boys in ‘Red & Green’ will be with us tonight, you have done both your club and our town proud in getting to the last eight. My message is simple, leave nothing out there and see where it takes you. No regrets, WWWW. All that remains is for me to thank tonight’s Match Sponsor MyHomeMove, our Match Ball Sponsor Larne Athletic Club and our season long sponsors, the Curran Court Hotel, Graham’s Pizza and Classic Drinks. Let’s make Inver LOUD and PROUD tonight! Regards Gareth CAPTAIN TONIGHT’S game is one that we are all looking forward to. A quarter-final against Coleraine is a big test for us, but if we didn’t have a belief that we could win the game, then we wouldn’t be here. That belief has been instilled in us from Kenny Bruce and the management team all season. When we look back to last season’s game between the teams, I came away a bit dis- appointed to be honest. We went into that game as big underdogs, but I just felt we had a bit more to give than we showed on the day. This year with the team we have and the work we’ve been doing I fully expect us to go out and give everything we can to try and get the right result for the club. We’re also hoping home advantage is a big factor in the game. Our pitch is big and open and it allows us to play our football. The way we want to play has been well drilled into us by the coaching staff and Manager, and I don’t think that will change, regardless of who we play. I think we will look to play our way and not worry too much about who is in front us and hopefully that will be enough to get the result. It’s a nice occasion to have tonight’s game on TV, but to be honest I don’t think that will affect us too much. We have players here with good experience of playing matches like this and in front of big crowds. This season when the big games have come around we’ve always given a good account of ourselves and I expect tonight to be the same. Looking back to Saturday, the Welders game was a really good result for us. We have a big squad here and people really want to play. The Manager has emphasised for weeks now that we don’t drop players, we rotate the squad, and that’s what Saturday showed.

I know we had the possibility of confirming the title on Satuday, but I don’t think it was too frustrating that it didn’t happen. We did what we could do, which was win the match, and it gave us a good platform to come in and prepare for this match. It’s always great to see a big Larne support and there was a great crowd who travelled on Saturday. There has been a great away support all season and it’s something that the fans should be proud of, because it really spurs us on. Looking to the rest of the season, we have a chance to make certain of the title against Ballinamallard United next Saturday. Beyond that, I’d really encourage the fans to keep coming in your numbers. Some people might look at it and think we don’t have a lot to play for after the league is won, but for us it will be about making sure we go into next season with momentum. That means still trying to win matches and we want your support to help us do that. Thank you for your support. Conor.

BY IAN CAHOON WHEN it comes to important cup clashes down through their established Premiership hosts with one of their best the years, Larne and Coleraine are no strangers to one performances of the season. another. Here we take a brief look at three of the most notable encounters between the sides in knockout Neil Candlish scored twice and Mark Dickson and Kieran competitions, spanning three decades. O’Connor were also on target in the 4-2 victory, which booked a semi-final spot. Final 1987: Larne 2 Coleraine 1 To this date, this famous night at the Oval remains the last Kincaid’s men were due to meet Glentoran at Seaview trophy which has returned to Inver Park. in the last four. However, shortly after the draw, news Despite the jubilant scenes at the end, it was Coleraine emerged that the Glens had fielded an ineligible player who took an early lead when Ricky Waide fired in an earlier in the competition meaning that Larne were given unstoppable effort from the edge of the box. This was as a bye to the final. good as it got for Coleraine however, and the Invermen were level when local striker Paul Hardy looped the ball In that final, the Invermen took an early lead through over the goalkeeper. Derek Delaney, but eventually lost on penalties after the match finished 1-1 at . Paul Malone’s men were to take the lead into half-time Trevor McMullan’s cross from the right was headed into Tennent’s Irish Cup Semi Final 2018: Coleraine 3 Larne 1 his own goal by young defender Nigel Quigley. The most recent meeting between the clubs came 10 months ago at the in the last four Larne held on for victory and captain Paul Carland lifted of the Irish Cup. At the time Oran Kearney’s Bannsiders the trophy, to the delight of the large support which had were aiming for a league and cup double, while momentum made its way up the A8. was beginning to build behind Tiernan Lynch’s outfit. The Larne team list from the evening, runs off the tongue Both clubs sold out their allocation of tickets, making for a like a who’s who of legends from that era. The Larne team cracking atmosphere and a closely fought contest. that day comprised Vincent Magee, Paul Carland, Tommy Houston, Trevor McMullan, Harry Kernohan, Ian Bustard, After being scoreless at the break, Lyndon Kane’s Bryan McLaughlin, Francis Smyth, Paul Hardy, Eddie thunderous effort from outside the box gave the favourites Spiers and Davy Smyth. the edge. However, Larne came roaring back to equalise through David McDaid in the final quarter. For Coleraine, there were certainly some notable figures in their line-up, none more so that player-manager Jim Platt. The dream of a final appearance was short lived though, as Gareth McConaghie’s header and Josh Carson’s 90th CIS Insurance Cup Quarter Final 2003: Coleraine 2 minute penalty wrapped up the victory. Larne 4 After qualifying from their group as a surprise package, Coleraine went on to win the final, defeating Cliftonville along with Linfield, Larne made their way to the Coleraine 3-1 in the decider. Showgrounds for the last eight clash very much as underdogs. Tommy Kincaid’s men were enjoying their first season back in the top flight after having just been promoted in the summer. However, they managed to shock BLUEFIN SPORT CHAMPIONSHIP MATCH 26 SATURDAY 23 FEBRUARY 2019 - TILLYSBURN PARK, BY PETER WILSON LARNE overcame an improved Welders side at Tillysburn went close nine minutes into the second half; David Park to maintain their massive 18 point lead at the top Rainey heading downward but Michael Dougherty was of the Bluefin Sport Championship with six games left to on hand to make the save. play. Just before the hour mark, Larne had a chance to double Despite recording yet another win, Tiernan Lynch’s men their advantage with Thomas Stewart’s low drive being will have to wait until next Saturday to try to clinch the pushed behind by Ryan Brown after good interplay in league title against Ballinamallard United as Carrick the build-up. Rangers’ comeback at home to Dundela denied the Invermen the title. Rainey was wasteful on 67 from an ideally placed free- kick, opting to strike it low instead of going over the wall. The release of the team sheets raised a few eyebrows, as Tiernan Lynch shuffled his pack with eight changes to the Chris Ramsey was next to threaten, but his powerful starting line up, with the replacement of the suspended header was too close to goalkeeper Brown. Fuad Sule the only enforced change. Referee Mark Dillon pointed straight to the spot with less Huddersfield Town loanee, Dom Tear, was handed his than 15 minutes to go after Igiehon was brought down first start for the club and Thomas Stewart made his first in the box. Substitute David McDaid stepped up to slot start for the Inver Reds since his ankle injury sustained down the middle with Brown failing to get a good enough back in October. of touch to keep out the striker’s 18th goal of the season. Both sides started the game toe-to-toe with Jack The Welders searched for a way back into the game O’Mahony blazing over to the left of goal early on to but couldn’t find a way past Dougherty as Larne took waste a good opportunity to put Larne under pressure, all three points away from Tillysburn Park. The title with David Scullion sending his volley narrowly wide at would have to wait however, as news came through of a the other end. stirring Carrick comeback for a 3-2 win against Dundela. However it was the visitors who scored first on 24 H&W Welders: Brown, McMurtry, Armstrong, McMillan, minutes; the goalkeeper rooted to the spot as Benny Spence, Deans, Davidson, Morrow (Dornan), Ferguson, Igiehon held off several Welders defenders to fire home Rainey (Prentice), O’Mahony a half volley. Unused subs: Gardiner, Hall, Arthurs Two minutes later the lead was almost doubled, but Paddy McNally saw his header come crashing off the Larne: Dougherty, Ramsey, McEleney, Scullion, Stewart bar. (McDaid), Stuart (Hughes), Tilney, Hassin, McNally (Kelly), Tear, Igiehon Larne supporters were keeping an keen eye on events at Taylor’s Avenue as a combination of a win for the Inver Unused subs: Devlin, Cosgrove Reds and Carrick Rangers dropping points at home to Dundela would hand Tiernan Lynch’s side the title. At Referee: Mark Dillon half time, Carrick were a goal down, and went two goals behind early in the second half. Meanwhile, at Tillysburn, The Welders

INTERVIEW BY IAN CAHOON “i think the bigger the game the better we tend to perform.’

WHEN the Irish Cup comes around, defender Chris Ramsey has a few scores to settle…and that’s only within his own changing room! The furthest the former Manchester City defender has got in tonight’s competition was the 2015 final. On that occasion he was with , when they lost 1-0 to Glentoran. With the renovation work at Windsor Park in full flow, the final was hosted at the Oval, the home of the eventual winners. There was also controversy around the winning goal. The Ports felt Michael Gault had been fouled when through on goal. Instead of getting a free-kick, referee Ross Dunlop waved play on and the only goal of the game was scored a matter of seconds later. While Ramsey and company had a case to feel hard done by in the circumstances surrounding their defeat, he has been on the end of some changing room banter for other reasons. The winning goal that day was scored by now teammate David Scullion, with man- ager Tiernan Lynch and his brother Seamus on the Glentoran coaching staff that afternoon. “It’s fair to say the 2015 final gets the odd mention on Irish Cup days at Larne now- adays!” Ramsey joked. “They aren’t in a hurry to let me forget that one, so it would be nice to put it right at some point. “The day of the Cup Final was a great occasion though. It’s something you look back on with fondness. It’s a full day event, starting with breakfast together, the whole family is involved and it gives you the hunger to get back to that again.

“There’s a massive belief in our team that we can achieve something like that to- gether here, because we have full faith in each other and the coaching staff. They give us a game plan and we know that if we follow it then we can be successful in any game they send us into.” Standing in the way of getting any further in this year’s competition is last year’s winners, Coleraine. Ramsey has genuine respect for Rodney McAree’s men, but feels the Invermen can still pro- gress. “Being at home in this match is a big advantage to us, we feel,” he added. “Everyone wants that in a cup draw, but we feel very strong at Inver Park and I think our record at home this season backs that up. We know our fans will be a big factor for us as well, because we know they’ll get behind us and hopefully help see us through to the result we all want. “It’s going to be a tough ask to win this match. They beat us last year and are a top team. It’s probably up to whoever performs best on the night to get the result.” It’s also another opportunity to take on a Danske Bank Premiership side, their fourth such test this season. He said: “It’s one where we’re relishing it. I think the bigger the game, the better we tend to perform. When you look at Dundela earlier in the season, and the Portadown games I think most times questions have been asked of us, we have answered them. “I know the game is live on TV, but I don’t think that’s really going to be on the players’ minds to be honest. Those sort of things are for the fans and the club to enjoy, for us there’s an Irish Cup semi-final at stake and that’s where our focus will be.” Tonight’s tie is a repeat of the last year’s semi-final between the clubs. On that occasion the Bannsiders ran out 3-1 winners, before repeating the scoreline in the final against Cliftonville to lift the trophy. With both sides showing plenty of changes since that game, Ramsey feels it will have little bearing on tonight’s match, though. “I don’t think we can put too much on that game from last season to be honest,” he said. “Coleraine obviously have a different manager since then and a lot of different players as well. They play a different brand of football under Rodney too, so it’s not really like for like. “There have obviously been a lot changes in our dressing room since that game. We also have the nucleus of a team who have been together for a year or more now, and hopefully that can help us going into this game. “The full-time training has been a real bonus this year, and has been a big factor for us. It’s helped me a lot with injuries. Beforehand I was working in a office, then going to training and picking up niggly injuries. Being full-time it means I can work on injury prevention and take care of myself and it’s had a big impact. “When we were brought to the club last January it was with the target of getting the club out of the Championship. The management has made it clear that once that is achieved then we move on to the next one, there will be no resting on our laurels.”

BY JOHNNY McNABB (COLERAINE FC) COLERAINE come into this evening’s Irish Cup Cliftonville last May. quarter-final on the back of a much needed win against Glentoran last weekend. The first was a 2-0 win against H&W Welders back in January as goals from Alexander Gawne The Bannsiders had lost back-to-back games and James McLaughlin secured a professional against Linfield and Crusaders, but despite win at The Showgrounds. missing two penalties, goals from and Ben Doherty helped edge Coleraine to all The Sixth Round saw Ivan Sproule and his three points against Gary Smyth’s side. Dergview side coming to the Ballycastle Road but they were also put to the sword as strikes That result means Coleraine now trail fourth- from Ben Doherty, James McLaughlin and Dean placed Glenavon by only three points in the Shiels guided Coleraine into the quarter-final Danske Bank Premiership – albeit the stage. Blues have a game in hand. It has been all change at The Showgrounds Attention now turns to the Irish Cup and the since the January transfer window closed as holders are aiming to reach a third successive boss Rodney McAree brought in seven new final but know tonight’s fixture will prove to be a arrivals. stern test against high-flying Larne. The first was midfielder Jamie Glackin from The two sides clashed in last season’s semi- Crusaders who worked with McAree previously final and it took until the second-half for the at Swifts, before wingers Dylan deadlock to be broken as Lyndon Kane rattled Davidson and Cormac Burke joined from home from 25 yards, before two ex-Coleraine Glentoran and Dungannon Swifts respectively. players combined for Larne’s equaliser as David McDaid equalised from David Scullion’s cross. There was a return for full-back Mark Edgar from junior football, with Ben Doherty also The Stripes recovered from that setback and putting pen-to-paper on a two-and-a-half year regained the lead as Gareth McConaghie deal from City as Ciaron Harkin moved headed home from a corner kick, with Josh in the opposite direction. Before the window Carson sealing the win as he remained ice-cool slammed shut, ex- international from the penalty spot. Dean Shiels signed on the dotted line and defender Dylan King was the final addition from Coleraine have beaten two Championship teams Glenavon. so far in the competition as they aim to retain the trophy that they won against The only disappointment for the Irish Cup holders was losing midfielder Darren McCauley to Inverness Caledonian Thistle, as well as not landing Institute captain Michael McCrudden who opted to re-join Derry City. McAree will be without the services of Lyndon Kane (metatarsal), Aaron Traynor (knee) and Alexander Gawne (ankle) for this evening’s clash. Influential midfielder Josh Carson is also expected to miss out after suffering an ankle knock in a recent win against Dungannon Swifts. However, there was a massive boost recently as captain Stephen O’Donnell returned to the matchday panel after being sidelined with a knee injury, as well as Aaron Burns who is now fully fit following an Achilles injury suffered before Christmas. “You have to relish the challenge and it is going to be a tough one,” McAree said. “Larne are a very good side - we have watched them and they play a very good brand of football. “If we allow them to play they will cause us problems but it is one we look forward to and will work towards this week. “There will be a good crowd and atmosphere - hopefully the new stand is open so that we can get more supporters to the game. “There is nobody within this club that does not want to reach another Irish Cup Final so we have to do our best to try and make that happen.” The visitors will be looking to put on a show for the live BBC cameras after suffering two defeats on Friday Night Football so far this season. The first was a 1-0 home defeat to City, before Glenavon put the Bannsiders to the sword at in December. PHOTOS: Coleraine FC BY ANDREW SCULLION AS Larne sit just one point away from securing The 2002/03 promotion to the Danske Bank Premiership, season started with optimism as well as Larne memories of the Inver Reds’ last promotion to the finished third in the Ulster Cup. The Cup was top flight will inevitably be conjured. played before the league programme started with First Division clubs playing each other once For Larne supporters of a certain generation, in a league format. Only Ballymena United and Easter Tuesday 2003 will have been their first big Dungannon Swifts beat Larne in the seven games day following the team. Tommy Kincaid took his with Dungannon winning the last ever Ulster Cup side to Clandeboye Park, needing only a draw competition. against Bangor, their main promotion rivals, to get back to the Premier Division. As the season panned out, Dungannon Swifts and Ballymena United fought for the title, again Whilst the 90s started with the club’s highest with the Swifts eventually prevailing. post war league finish and a League Cup Final appearance, the decade went on to be a largely Carrick Rangers had managed to bring striker barren period. With promotion and relegation Crawford McCrae back to Taylor’s Avenue, but introduced, Larne’s slip back into the second they suffered dismal season which included a tier was indicative of the general decline and so 12-1 home defeat to Dungannon Swifts. They and virtually any new supporters who got bit by the Ballyclare Comrades and Armagh City did not bug post 1992 will have had little to shout about. figure in the promotion race and fought to avoid finishing bottom. However, that began to change with the appointment of Tommy Kincaid in 2001 as That left a three way fight between Larne, he rejuvenated the club after Paul Malone’s Limavady United and Bangor for the final two second stint at the club that had promised much, places. ultimately fell flat. Bangor had held third place for much of the first The Irish League was often prone to restructure half of the season, but Larne seized the initiative throughout this period and another one was on when the two sides met during the festive period. the way for the 2002/03 season. The top flight The Inver Reds winning 2-0 at Clandeboye with had gone from 16 teams to 8 and then to 12, and it goals from Garth Walsh and Scott Cowie, then was decided it would go back to 16 for 2003/04. following that up with a single goal victory at To get to the magic number of 16, four teams Inver on 30 December with a crucial last minute would be promoted from the 8 team First Division, Neil Candlish winner. and fifth place would play off against the ’s bottom side. Kincaid’s men were well placed for promotion but moments. faced two vital games against Limavady United in March. Larne lost 1-0 both home and away which It proved to be a huge psychological blow as plunged them into a battle for fourth. Limavady Larne moved ahead of Bangor the following United finished the season strongly and claimed Saturday with a 1-0 win at home to Armagh City, promotion. while the Seasiders drew with Ballymena United.

If there was a one match on which the whole It all came down to the final game against Bangor season hinged, it was arguably the home game at Clandeboye Park and a large travelling crowd against Ballymena United in early April. Larne descended on the seaside town for the Easter were three points behind Bangor, with three Tuesday decider. games to go. On the same day, Bangor played Dungannon Swifts away. Larne had the best defence in the division and the team that day was laced with experience with Larne were on the brink of falling six points behind the likes of Alan Murphy, James McDonagh and with two games left as Bangor took the lead at John McKinstry in defence, Tommy McDonald in Stangmore Park in the first half through Brian midfield and Neil Candlish up front. Russell and the Inver Reds had fallen behind early in the second half to an Oran Kearney goal. Candlish was involved in Larne’s goal on 23 minutes. It was his free kick on the right flank Scott Walker equalised for Dungannon Swifts which was teased into the box. Mark Dickson got to reduce the damage for Larne, but four points something on it and it looped over Ryan Brown would still have been a big gap to turnaround. and into the net. Promotion was out of the Inver Reds hands as it stood. The lead only lasted five minutes when Philip Rogan equalised, but the match played out as a Tommy Kincaid’s men dug deep, and as was so tight, tense tussle. Larne’s experience counted on often the case through his Larne career, Mark the day, as the wise heads in the team managed Dickson popped up with a vital goal with less the game to its conclusion. than 10 minutes to go to keep the Inver Reds’ hopes alive. Joy and elation mixed with relief greeted the final whistle. Larne had clung on for the point that they The drama did not end there, though, as two needed, and were set to go up and mix it with goals scored in the dying moments of two the big boys once again. The celebrations went matches almost simultaneously and 60 miles long into the night. It was the day a generation apart completely changed the Promotion race. of Larne supporters had waited for. As a Ryan Brown own goal went in to give Whilst this season, and the almost inevitable Dungannon a win that would move them closer conclusion of promotion, hasn’t had the same to the title, Larne’s Mark Parker raced through nail biting tension as the 2003 season, the on goal, composed himself and fired past Robert achievements of the current crop of Larne players Robinson in the Ballymena goal to spark delirious are what a generation of Larne supporters have celebrations on the Inver terraces. waited for too. Make sure you enjoy it as much as we all did sixteen years ago. Larne had gone from potentially falling six points behind to drawing level with Bangor in the space of a few

BY CHRISTOPHER LIDDLE AT the beginning of the season Commercial representing a charity named Saphara. Through Director Gavin Clements came up with the idea Saphara, Mollie will be travelling to New Delhi for of the Charity Shirt Swap, a charity-based 11 days to teach English to young Indian children initiative with the aim of helping achieve our goal who live in the rural areas of the city. of integrating with the local community. Anyone who has travelled to a foreign country The idea behind the Charity Shirt Swap was for a project similar to this will understand the that at each home game would be a team of costs attached and fundraising efforts involved, volunteers from a local charity, selling ballots to so we ask that tonight you support Mollie and her supporters who would then be in with a chance of fantastic cause by buying a ballot ticket priced at winning a player’s match worn shirt. This activity, £1. You never know, you may be rewarded with a combined with social media advertising in the ‘McNally 18’ shirt as a reward for your good deed! week leading up to each game, has provided a healthy collection and brand exposure for each To conclude, I’m sure I speak on behalf of charity. the staff and players at the club when I saya massive thank you to every charity and volunteer By the end of this season, we will have welcomed who has taken part this season. There has not 20 charities to Inver Park for both league and been a week where the process has been in any cup games. We had Mae Murray Foundation at way difficult and everyone has been pleasantly our very first home game against Ballinamallard enthusiastic during collection and when taking United and at the Portadown game we had Chris photographs post-match. Ramsey standing with a collection bucket giving away his own shirt in aid of the Alzheimer’s A massive thank you to you, the supporters, who Society. We hosted Angel Wishes on Boxing Day have been so generous at every game this season when we faced Ballyclare Comrades and our final and congratulations to our winners, who all have charity will be RNLI Larne at our final home game fantastic mementos from a landmark season. on Saturday 20th April against H&W Welders. Registration for the 2019/20 Charity Shirt Swap The enthusiastic volunteers from each charity is now open, please contact have raised approximately £700 each game. The [email protected] to book your charities amounts raised have been greater than ever place! imagined, and for this reason we plan to run a new and improved Charity Shirt Swap for the 19/20 season. Tonight, we host Mollie McAllister who is BY NIALL CURNEEN

LARNE YOUTH are excited to announce their inclusion in the 2019 SuperCup NI this summer. The 2006 Larne Youth Squad will be the first team from Larne Youth to compete in this illustrious competition. Formerly known as ‘The Milk Cup’, this competition has been rebranded and restructured in recent years with local club teams now given the opportunity to participate in the tournament in a Minor Section which was introduced for the first time in 2018 with great success for local sides.

The competition has a rich heritage of top professionals plying their trade in their early years representing some of the biggest Premier League club’s youth teams, and our young players will be given the opportunity to go toe to toe with future stars of the game this summer. Many of our own first team panel have represented a host of club teams and County representative sides over the years including Conor Devlin, Jeff Hughes and Liam Hassin.

Commenting on the news, Academy Director Niall Curneen said “This is a fantastic opportunity for our players to experience playing against top sides and players. Our club is working away tirelessly behind the scenes to give our players the best opportunities to develop and make a career in the game. Participation in this tournament is another sign of our intentions going forward. “These players will learn from, and enjoy, the preparation between now and July 2019, and the timing of this opportunity ties in perfectly with the challenge to increase and improve all that we do each week within our club across all our age groups. The test of playing against top players on fantastic pitches and in an exciting environment will be a real benchmark and inspiring experience for these players at an early stage in their development. “This squad will be exposed to increased levels of preparation for this tournament including additional training sessions, specific strength and condition programmes, detailed tactical preparation, and nutrition plans to follow. All of this will be a real education to these players, and things that we want them to know more about to implement going forward giving them every chance to succeed in the game. “We will give this squad the best chance to go to this tournament and perform to their potential doing themselves, their families and our club proud. Collectively we all aim to put a lot in to this opportunity so as our players and coaches get as much out of the experience as possible”

The draw for SuperCup NI will take place in May 2019 with the tournament itself running from 28th July to 3rd August 2019. As well as preparing in depth, the club and the squad will be holding a number of fundraising events to offset the significant cost of participating in this tournament. Keep an eye on all the social media channels for details of how you can get involved in some of these great events over the next few months. Thinking of starting a business in the Larne area? To access FREE advice on starting a business call 0800 027 0639 visit goforitni.com

This project is part funded by Invest Northern Ireland and the European Regional Development Fund under the Investment for Growth & Jobs Northern Ireland (2014-2020) Programme.

BY ANDREW SCULLION LAST SUMMER was a season to remember for Larne Ladies. It was their first season back in football and they dominated NIWFA North 2, taking the title with nine wins and a draw. Since then, there have been all kinds of changes. Changes in the playing staff, the coaching staff, the addition of a new team and changes to the league structure itself. First of all, Larne Ladies Olympic has been established for 2019, which now fills a missing rung to the ladder from the hugely successful Girls Football Development programme headed up by Daniel Carlisle to the Larne Ladies first team. We have our teams, so what about the leagues? Restructuring of the NIWFA has resulted in the creation of five divisions - the Championship and Divisions 1 to 4, with the NIFL run Danske Bank Women’s Premiership sitting above all that. Larne Ladies will play in Division 2 next season and have been paired with old foes, Chimney Corner Ladies and Carnmoney Ladies Athletic. They will be joined by Foyle Belles, Coleraine Ladies, Ballymacash Young Ladies, Belfast Swifts and Mounjoy Ladies. The Olympic will play in Division 4 along with Ballymena Allstars II, Banbridge Rangers Ladies, Belfast Ravens, Camlough Rovers Ladies, Lisburn Rangers Ladies, Moneyslane Ladies and St James Swifts Ladies II. In terms of the coaching staff, William Noble and Gary Hood have been joined by Craig Leworthy. The Englishman won promotions in consecutive seasons in charge of Crewe United Ladies and will bring considerable experience to the club. Meanwhile, the Olympic team will be headed by Daniel Carlisle. Both the first team and Olympic squads are still being finalised as the women are a month into pre-season. Last Friday, Larne Ladies played their first pre-season friendly of pre-season when they travelled to play Division 1 side, Belfast Celtic. The Inver Women took time to settle and trailed 3-1 at the break, but held their composure to produce an improved display after the break exchanging goals until the final score was 5-4. It was a night of mixed emotions for William Noble’s side. Just as Elle Houston scored to make it 2-1, Georgia Crawford was carried off the pitch injured with a fractured fibula, which will rule her out for the next six weeks at the very least. After the break, Hannah Robinson also showed signs of replicating her 2018 form with a goal of her own. But it was a night for the young players as Elle Houston, who has graduated from the Girls Football Development programme, capped an impressive performance with her second goal of the night after the break, with a delightful chip. Jenny Montgomery, another of the club’s promising young players, finished well with the last kick of the game. LARNE FOOTBALL CLUB has grown beyond all recognition in a short space of time and is getting bigger and bigger all the time. Before Christmas, we had a very successful Volunteer Recruitment Night and we want to give you another chance to get involved as we hold our second recruitment night on Friday 15 March at 7.30pm in the Agnew Lounge. With the growth of the club, there is a significant increase in the number of man hours spent by the Board and the club’s volunteers to keep everything running at Inver Park as smoothly as possible. Your support has been phenomenal this season, and we are asking you, the supporters, to come along to the Agnew Lounge and consider volunteering your services towards making our club a success. On the night, we will have Board Members and volunteers from the various areas of the club ready to answer your questions and provide information. The areas of the club where we are looking for volunteers include: – Health & Safety and stewarding – [email protected] – Media and marketing – [email protected] or [email protected] – Retail sales – [email protected] – Hospitality – [email protected] or [email protected] – Sports science and data analysis – [email protected] – Maintenance – ground, pitch, electrical – [email protected] – Administration – [email protected] If you have expertise in an area we haven’t mentioned above then get in touch! There really is a job for everyone and all ages are welcome. Volunteering is great way to gain experience and boost your CV. It is also a rewarding way of spending your spare time and getting involved in your club during one of the most exciting periods of our history. We would really like to see you at the Agnew Lounge on Friday 15 March at 7.30pm, but if you can’t make it, send us an email to any of the email addresses above or contact us on a Match Day. Larne Football Club is your club and you can make a major contribution to our drive for success. Larne Football Club supports and endorses the UEFA 10 Point Plan. We will not tolerate racism/ sectarianism and will take action against those engaged in such behaviour by removing them from our ground, and reporting such behaviour to the relevant authorities. As part of our ongoing commitment to the I.F.A.’s Football For All campaign, ‘Kick It Out’, and to equality, anyone caught making racist or sectarian comments may be arrested, prosecuted and banned from the club. If you hear any abuse of this nature, please report it to your nearest steward or call the help line number 0800 169 9414. Thank you for your cooperation and support. The plan sets out a number of measures that clubs can take to combat the problem of racism: 1. Issue a statement saying the club will not tolerate racism, spelling out the action it will take against those engaged in racist chanting. The statement should be printed in all match programmes and displayed permanently and prominently around the ground. 2. Make public address announcements condemning racist chanting at matches. 3. Make it a condition for season-ticket holders that they do not take part in racist abuse. 4. Take action to prevent the sale of racist literature inside and around the ground. 5. Take disciplinary action against players who engage in racial abuse. 6. Contact other clubs to make sure they understand the club’s policy on racism. 7. Encourage a common strategy between stewards and police for dealing with racist abuse. 8. Remove all racist graffiti from the ground as a matter of urgency. 9. Adopt an equal opportunities’ policy in relation to employment and service provision. 10. Work with all other groups and agencies, such as the players union, supporters, schools, voluntaryorganisations, youth clubs, sponsors, local authorities, local businesses and police, to develop pro-active programmes and make progress to raise awareness of campaigning to eliminate racial abuse and discrimination.