Larne manager Tiernan Lynch lauds players ahead of Conference League bow

Larne manager Tiernan Lynch has paid his players a glowing compliment as they prepare to make history in the Conference League.

Lynch's team are the first Northern Irish league club to make the group stage of a major European competition and will be one of the upcoming opponents for SSE Airtricity Men's Premier Division champions Shamrock Rovers in the League Phase of the competition.

While the Hoops face APOEL Nicosia of Cyprus on Thursday, Larne begin their campaign against Molde in Norway on the same night, with away games to come against Slovenian side Olimpija Ljubljana and Dinamo Minsk of Belarus, who are playing home matches in Azerbaijan.

Aside from Rovers, Belgian team Gent and Swiss club St Gallen will all head to Belfast in the competition with Windsor Park hosting European fixtures instead of Larne's home ground Inver Park.

"We talk a lot about culture at the club," Lynch said during his pre-match press conference.

"You will do well to find a group of players who are as committed to the club as our players.

"They deserve to be here, give a good account of themselves and put themselves on the map.

"We will focus solely on tomorrow's 90 minutes and take it from there. The players have to trust themselves and each other, I have no doubt on their ability at this level."

Larne will encounter a Molde side currently holding third place in Norway's Eliteserien.

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