Q Radio Sport
Larne hold a one goal advantage in their Europa Conference League tie with Bala Town following an historic victory over the Welsh club in Oswestry on Thursday night.
In what was Larne's first ever foray into European football they couldn't have asked for a better start when, after barely two minutes, Davy McDaid fired them in front after racing onto Andrew Mitchell's through ball to calmly lob the keeper.
Stung by this, Bala enjoyed large periods of possession for most of the first half in an attempt to find the equaliser but failed to adequately test keeper Rohan Ferguson.
After the break Larne had penalty claims waved away on the hour while, a little later, Conor McKendry saw a corner delivered to the back post tipped away.
Indeed, as the game progressed, Larne looked the more likely to find the net again with McKendry cutting in from the left only to be denied by the keeper.
Ronan Hale then had a go as the game ticked over into the closing ten minutes but unfortunately the ball fell the wrong side of an upright.
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— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) July 8, 2021
Bala Town 0-1 Larne
Wonderful win for the visitors in their European debut - Davy McDaid with the all-important goal after only two mins!
📸 #LFC pic.twitter.com/5xWCCtvAdB
Tiernan Lynch's side will look to finish the job next Thursday evening at Inver Park in the second leg of the first round qualifier.
Bala Town: Ramsay, Woods, Stephen, Spittle, Lassana Mendes, Evans, K. Smith, Rutherford, Edwardson, Venables, Shannon subs Lloyd (not used), S. Smith (replaced Woods 73), Peate (replaced K. Smith 90+2), Walker-Rice (not used), Leslie (replaced Lassana Mendes 77), Kay (not used), Bauress (replaced Evans 77)
Larne: Ferguson, Balmer, Sule, Randall, McDaid, Lynch, Mitchell, Bolger, Cosgrove, Hughes, Jarvis subs Argyrides (not used), Kelly (not used), Watson (replaced Balmer 74), Robinson (not used), Herron (not used), Hale (replaced McDaid 74), Donnelly (not used), Scott (not used), McKendry (Randall 61), Lusty (not used)
Meanwhile, Glentoran and Coleraine's hopes in the competition are still alive:
The Glens left it late but grabbed a vital goal at The Oval:
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— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) July 8, 2021
Glentoran 1-1 TNS
Glens fight back from a goal down early on to level it at The Oval - Jamie McDonagh on target in the closing stages.
All to play for in the away leg next week
📸 #GFC pic.twitter.com/g0QjFCPbTo
And it was all happening for a battling Coleraine in Bosnia:
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— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) July 8, 2021
FK Velez Mostar 2
Coleraine 1
Dream start for Bannsiders with Ben Doherty's stunning strike but Bosnians snatched victory with 2 pens. Lyndon Kane sent off
Heroics in Sarajevo from #CFC & it promises to be quite a return leg next week