Larne, the defending Irish Premiership champions, just kept their incredible unbeaten start to the season rolling with a gritty 1-0 victory over Bangor at Inver Park. It was Dylan Sloan’s absolute rocket from range that finally shattered the deadlock on 76 minutes, finding the top corner and securing three massive points for the Inver Reds.
Inver Park Pressure Cooker: The Breakthrough Was a Long Time Coming
Our guys dominated possession right from the first whistle in the opening half, but let’s be real, Bangor’s defense was an absolute brick wall. They were resolute, making it tough as nails to break through. Early on, Paul O’Neill had a golden opportunity after a Bangor defensive mix-up, but he fired wide. Then around the 16-minute mark, both Matt Ridley and Dan Bent had efforts blocked, showing how much we were pushing. Chances got scarce as the half wore on, with Ronan Doherty and Tiarnan Mulvenna testing keepers at both ends. There was even a moment when Gary Haveron’s side felt Matty Lusty’s run should have led to a red card for Alfie Mitchell, but the referee, Steven Gregg, only cautioned the defender. Bangor’s Jay Boyd even forced a save from Rohan Ferguson. You could feel the tension, man. It was a slow burn into the second half until Sean Graham’s effort in the 62nd minute needed a great save from Patrick Solis Grogan, who tipped it over. Haveron even brought on Mark Randall to inject some life, and Randall nearly delivered an instant impact, firing a shot that was deflected wide. Matt Ridley just couldn’t convert the resulting corner, leaving us all on the edge of our seats. But then, the moment came: Montel Gibson passed it to Sloan about 25-yards out, and boom, that left-footed strike flew past Solis Grogan. Just incredible.
Haveron’s Take and the Road Ahead for the Unbeaten Champs
Manager Gary Haveron couldn’t have put it better, calling Sloan’s strike “absolute brilliant.” He acknowledged it was “a long time coming” and that Bangor came in with a “game plan.” Haveron admitted the team was “a bit too slow in our build-up play” at the start of the second half, but you gotta love his honesty. He knows the quality this kid Sloan has, saying he “works so, so hard for the team.” This win means Larne has now clinched their past two fixtures and stayed unbeaten. On the flip side, Bangor manager Lee Feeney thought his team’s performance was “super,” despite the 1-0 defeat. He knows Larne is a “class team” and a “proper machine,” noting they’ve got “10 or 11 games under their belt already this season.” For Bangor, this loss means they’ve only scraped together a single point in their first five games, and their hunt for a first win keeps going. Our boys, the Inver Reds, are taking on Portadown on Saturday. You know what’s at stake: keeping that “unbeaten” tag alive and showing the entire league that Larne isn’t just defending a title, they’re building something special. Get ready for another electric Saturday!
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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