Larne were given a welcome boost with Saturday’s comfortable 3-0 home win over Amateur League side Crumlin United in the Irish Cup but the one time leaders have been patchy in their league form in recent weeks; picking up victories at home to struggling Newry and away to Glenavon but only 1 point from home games against Coleraine and Carrick and, most recently, suffering a costly 2-1 defeat at Solitude to new League leaders Cliftonville to put them 3 points behind Paddy McLaughlin's side, albeit with a game in hand.
While Larne enjoyed 2 important wins at the Oval last season (last January in the League and in May’s European Playoffs final) they will have less fond memories of their last trip there in October; a Conor McMenamin double and a goal each for Jay Donnelly and Danny Purkis condemned them to a comprehensive 4-0 defeat. Manager Tiernan Lynch has already been busy in the January transfer window, with 4 players arriving and 4 departing to date. Former Coleraine midfielder Ben Doherty has signed for his hometown side Derry City, with full back Michael Glynn and Scottish midfielder Joe Thomson moving the other way and striker BJ Banda and goalkeeper Jamie Pardington have arrived from Ballinamallard United and Grimsby Town respectively. Lynch has sent youngsters Matty Lusty and Dylan Sloan on loan deals to Newry City and former Accrington Stanley forward Andrew Scott has left to join Oran Kearney’s Coleraine.
Match Ball Sponsor
Saturday's match ball is sponsored by Strangford Consulting Ltd.
Headquartered in Canada, with its roots firmly around the Oval, Strangford is an international business optimization consulting business with clients across multiple sectors and geographies.
Co owned by Tina and Alan Cooke, the business draws its name from the lough where Alan's father - a lifelong Glenman had his ashes scattered.
Tina hails from Holywood and Alan from the Castlereagh Road, he grew up following the Glens weekly with his father. Everytime they return home they make sure to come and see the old stadium and Alan relays new memories of the days gone by, knowing that they are just around the corner again.
Check out their website at www.strangfordconsulting.com
