Pre-Match Guide | Larne 7/12/21
We travel to Inver Park Park tomorrow evening to take on Larne in the ToalsBet.com Co Antrim Shield Semi-Final.
Match Info
When: Tuesday 7th December – Kick-Off 7:45pm
Where: Inver Park
What: ToalsBet.com Co Antrim Shield Semi-Final
Entry: TICKET ONLY. No cash gate will be available. Comrades fans will be in the McKay Stand at Inver Park, and tickets priced at £10 adult and £6 concession are available at the link below:
The Opponents
Larne are currently sitting 4th in the Danske Bank Premiership, just 4 points off top spot. Last week, Three second half goals helped Larne eventually get past Warrenpoint Town at Inver Park. The game got off to a bright start with chances at both ends inside the opening couple of minutes. Ben Doherty fired just over from a David McDaid cut back for Larne while, for ‘Point, Kealan Dillon sent the ball a little too high. That trend continued with Alan O’Sullivan being denied by Michael Argyrides with Ronan Hale then seeing an effort blocked soon after. Then, midway through the first half, Conor Mitchell made a point blank save from Doherty before ‘Point responded with a Thomas Maguire deflected shot dropping narrowly off target. Larne moved in front on 48 minutes courtesy of Albert Watson’s back post header after he broke free to connect with Doherty’s corner from the right. McDaid then made it 2-0 six minutes after that after running onto a Mark Randall through ball to keep his composure to slot past Mitchell. And Larne’s third arrived with 20 minutes remaining after Hale combined with Tomas Cosgrove to fire into the bottom corner.
The Comrades
Friday night saw Dundela sweep to a three-goal victory over the Comrades at Wilgar Park. The visitors started on the front foot, enjoying plenty of possession during the opening exchanges but they fell behind on 19 minutes when Jay Magee found the net with a header from a corner. Ballyclare attempted to work their way back into the game with Liam Hassin and Joe Tully both testing Marc Matthews but the home keeper proved equal to every challenge thrown at him. Still trailing, Ballyclare upped the tempo after the break and came close early on when Tully saw a header deflected over the bar. Liam McKenna then connected with a Ciaran Dobbin cross but, again, this went over as did another Tully effort on the hour. Then, with ten minutes remaining, Ballyclare were awarded a spot-kick but it was an evening when Matthews was proving unbeatable as he made the save from Chris Ramsey. That proved to be a decisive moment when the Duns immediately broke down the other end and doubled their advantage through Jordan Hughes before, with three minutes remaining, David McMaster made sure by turning home number three for Niall Currie’s side. The result keeps the Comrades in 7th spot in the Lough 41 Championship.
Last Time Out
The last time these two sides met was in October 2020 in the first round of this very same competition. Albert Watson opened the scoring at Inver Park in the 20th minute after Jack Ferguson had saved the initial header from a Larne corner, Watson followed in with the rebound. Dean Jarvis doubled Larne’s lead in the 72nd minute when a heavily deflected free-kick left ‘keeper Ferguson no chance. That was how it stayed as Larne ran out 2-0 winners and progressed to the next round.
