Late goals see Larne past 10-man Red Imps in Gibraltar

UEFA Conference League Lincoln Red Imps 0 - 2 Larne FT Larne are well placed to reach the league stage of the Uefa Conference League for the second time in three years after they beat 10-man Lincoln Red Imps 2-0 in the first leg of their play-off tie in Gibraltar on Thursday. Paul O'Neill came off the bench to head home the opening goal on 84 minutes, with two other substitutes involved in the build-up. Conor McKendry provided the cross and James Simpson headed the ball into the path of O'Neill, who applied the finish. Kevin O'Hara added the second two minutes into stoppage time with a cool finish into the corner after O'Neill broke clear and laid the ball off to his team-mate. The hosts had Yussef Flalhi Idrissi sent-off after 28 minutes of the game at the Europa Point Stadium after his initial yellow card was replaced by a red after an intervention by the Video Assistant Referee [VAR official]. The Spaniard was involved in a coming together with Larne midfielder Sean Graham and after the referee was called over to view the incident on the monitor, he produced a red, seemingly for a punch being thrown. The Irish Premiership champions will have high hopes of finishing the job in next week's second leg at their Inver Park home. Patient Larne get late rewards Larne goalkeeper Rohan Ferguson made some good early saves, including gathering at the second attempt from Nano's free-kick. Following the dismissal of Flalhi Idrissi, the visitors dominated but found it difficult to fashion clearcut chances. Chris Gallagher was denied by home goalkeeper Jaylan Hankins after trying his luck from long range in the second half. The ball was then scrambled clear after Matty Lusty had squared the ball to Montel Gibson and subsequently Lusty himself drew a save from Hankins. O'Neill's intervention broke the deadlock and after O'Hara was denied by Hankins late on, the same player struck to give Gary Haveron's men some added breathing space ahead of next Thursday's second meeting between the sides. Larne began their European adventure by beating San Marino side Tre Fiori in the first qualifying round of the Champions League in July, before falling to Red Star Belgrade in the second round. After losing to Georgian outfit Iberia 1999 in the Europa League third qualifying round, they dropped into the Conference League play-off. Lincoln Red Imps, the team Larne defeated in the play-off to reach the league stage of the Conference League for the first time in 2024, are aiming to reach the league stage of the competition for the second year in a row.