Win over PSNI sets up Glentoran quarter-final trip

Sep 11, 2019 | Archive

Larne booked a Toals County Antrim Shield trip to Glentoran after securing a 3-0 win at home to Championship side PSNI.

Marty Donnelly’s early goal set the Invermen on their way, but the lead wasn’t doubled until eight minutes into the second half, when Lee Lynch scored his first goal of the season. Fuad Sule added the third late on, scoring his first goal from open play for the club.

Pablo Andrade, who was starting his first competitive game, almost opened the scoring after eight minutes, but he saw his flicked header tipped on the crossbar.

The wing-back was involved in the opening goal after 12 minutes, though. He latched on to Lee Lynch’s incisive pass, before cutting inside and firing across goal. Visiting goalkeeper Daniele Di Giorgio could only palm the ball into the path of Marty Donnelly, and diminutive attacker lashed home his third goal of the season.

Johnny McMurray almost doubled the lead on 23 minutes, but his ambitious lob, after intercepting a slack pass, drifted just wide of the post.

The visitors had a bright opening half, and could have gone in level but for Conor Mitchell tipping Nathan Best’s 25-yard effort on to the crossbar.

Larne moved two goals clear on 53 minutes, when Fuad Sule overlapped Ben Tilney on the left flank. Sule crossed for Lynch and he took a touch before firing home from 12 yards.

The two goal lead really should have been three on 69 minutes, but the ball somehow stayed out of the net as Johnny McMurray saw his initial effort saved, his follow-up header cleared off the line, with Mark Randall hitting the crossbar of an unguarded net.

The final goal of the night came with eight minutes remaining, as Sule met Andrade’s cross from the right and lashed the ball into the roof of the net, much to the delight of the home crowd.

The 3-0 victory ensures a trip to the Oval on Tuesday 15th October, to take on Glentoran in the last eight of the competition.

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