Larne gave outgoing manager Tiernan Lynch the perfect send off with a 2-0 victory over Institute in the second round of the BetMcLean League Cup at the Brandywell.
Lynch leaves the Inver Park side to take up the reins at Derry City and will be pleased with tonight’s result, even if the performance itself will not live long in the memory.
Second half scores from substitute Paul O’Neill and Sean Graham was enough to send them through to the quarter-finals.
Despite Larne settling the quicker, it Institute who had the first effort on 10 minutes.
Stephen Doherty’s corner was met in the air by Padraig Lynch who smashed a header off the crossbar before being cleared by the Larne defence.
Soon after, the visitors threatened the scoreboard when Conor McKendry tried his luck from distance.
However, ‘Stute ‘keeper Gareth Muldoon did well to get behind the ball and hold onto it as it skipped off the greasy Brandywell surface.
After the opening period petered out, there is no doubting that Tiernan Lynch would have had a quiet word with his team looking for more in the second half and his introduction of striker O’Neill paid off on 58 minutes when he grabbed the opener.
The forward chipped over the advancing Muldoon and into the net after a neat through ball from McKendry.
The Inver men settled into the game thereafter and it was no surprise when they doubled their advantage 12 minutes later.
Graham danced past a number of defenders before curling a left foot shot into the net past the helplessly outstretched Gareth Muldoon.
Institute battled on but could not beat the weather or the Larne defence as Larne held on go through where they will play Annagh United in the last eight.
Institute: Muldoon, Boyle, Tweed (c), Lynch, Carlin, Harris, Duffy, Aduaka, Doherty, Brown, Cross.
Subs: Doherty, McDermott, Burke, B. McLaughlin, Baird, McAuley, M. McLaughlin.
Larne: Besant, Want, Donnelly, McKendry, Randall (c), S. Graham, Magee, Marsh, Sloan, Lusty, Wallace.
Subs: D. Graham, Ives, Thomson, O’Neill, McEneff, Nolan, Gallagher.
Referee: Declan Hassan.
