Q Radio Sport
Ronan Hale grabbed the only goal of the game as Larne defeated Welsh opponents Bala Town at Inver Park to reach the Second Qualifying Round of the Europa Conference League.
Only on the pitch a matter of minutes as a replacement for Davy McDaid, Hale struck on the 84th minute after cutting in from the left to send a curling effort past keeper Alex Ramsay.
Leading by a goal from the opening leg Larne ended the first half marginally the better side with efforts coming through Lee Lynch and Mark Randall while Bala could point to a Will Evans header which fell just the wrong side of the far post.
After the break Conor McKendry threatened, as did fellow substitute Marty Donnelly but it was Hale's effort six minutes from the end that ensured Larne's European dream continued.
Next up for Tiernan Lynch's side is Danish side AGF Aarhus with the first leg scheduled for next Thursday at Inver Park and a trip to Denmark seven days after that.
FT: #EuropaConferenceLeague
— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) July 15, 2021
1st qualifying round, 2nd leg@larnefc 1
Hale@BalaTownFC 0
Stunning strike Ronan Hale wins it late on.
Larne go through to the 2nd qualifying round 2-0 on aggregate.
Dream start in European competition for the east Antrim side.#UECL
Larne: Ferguson, Balmer, Herron, Sule, Randall, McDaid, Lynch, Bolger, Cosgrove, Hughes, Jarvis subs Argyrides (not used), Kelly (not used), Watson (replaced Balmer 78), Robinson (not used), Hale (replaced McDaid 78), Donnelly (replaced Randall 66), Scott (not used), Mitchell (not used), McKendry (replaced Lynch 55), Lusty (not used)
Bala Town: Ramsay, Woods, Spittle, Lassanda Mendes, Evans, K. Smith, Kay, Rutherford, Edwardson, Venables, Shannon subs Lloyd (not used), S. Smith (replaced Woods 83), Peate (not used), Stephens (not used), Walker-Rice (replaced K. Smith 83), Leslie (replaced Lassanda Mendes 73), Bauress (replaced Rutherford 67)
However, Glentoran crashed to a disappointing defeat against Welsh opposition:
FT: Europa Conference League
— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) July 15, 2021
1st qualifying round, 2nd leg@tnsfc 2@Glentoran 0
Glens crash out, 3-1 on aggregate #UECL
And Coleraine's European adventure is also over for another year:
FT: #EuropaConferenceLeague
— Q Radio News (@qnewsdesk) July 15, 2021
1st qualifying round, 2nd leg
Coleraine 1
(Shevlin)
FK Velež Mostar 2
Mourneview Park
Battling Bannsiders make an early exit from Europe in Lurgan as the Bosnians go through 4-2 on aggregate @ColeraineFC #UECL