Larne defeated Dungannon 8-0 at Inver Park to clinch the Gibson Cup for the third time in four seasons
Sports Direct Irish Premiership: Larne 8 Dungannon Swifts 0Gary Haveron said Larne have still “got a lot of history to write” after taking delivery last night of the Gibson Cup, flown in by helicopter that touched down in the centre circle at Inver Park.
The Larne boss enjoyed a dream finish to a wonderful season, as his side secured the title with a hammering of Dungannon Swifts.
Three league crowns in four years, with a historic European run in their only fallow season, has made this Larne’s era, but Haveron insists they are hungry for more.
“It was far from a straightforward season with the injuries and suspensions we had,” said the hometown hero.“People were talking about the demise of Larne Football Club but they underestimated what we have as a group, as a club, and a community.
“I love this town, I love the people, and I’m so lucky to have so many friends and family here to be part of it.
“We reset now though, it goes back to zero. We’ll enjoy the next few days but we’ll be ready to start all over again.
“We’ve got a lot of history to write at this football club.”
The opener arrived in the 12th minute when Jordan McEneff swung a peach of a cross in from the right and the ever-reliable Andy Ryan rose to plant a header past Swifts keeper Dylan Glass.
It was 2-0 nine minutes later when Leroy Millar doggedly won possession before freeing Matty Lusty to dink a lovely finish over the exposed Glass.
The livewire striker added another just before the half-hour mark when the ball ricocheted into his path and he rounded Glass then rolled the ball into the empty net as the party atmosphere continued unabated to the break.
Lusty rounded off his hat-trick two minutes after the restart, manipulating the ball adroitly on the edge of the box until he had space to spank a low shot across goal and into the bottom corner.
Ryan had his brace in the bag shortly after, firing past Glass after a well-worked set-piece routine saw McEneff roll the ball into his path from a corner.
The sixth arrived just past the hour mark as Sean Graham hared through to get in on the act, clipping a tidy left-foot finish to the net.
Ryan’s relentless hunger for goals was rewarded in the 71st minute when Paul O’Neill unselfishly squared the ball for the Scot to claim his hat-trick from ten yards out.
Karma repaid O’Neill soon after as the striker scored the goal of the game by lifting a gorgeous lob over Glass from a narrow angle to complete the demolition job.
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