Why Larne midfielder John Herron had to grit his teeth to secure Inver Park club European football

Larne midfielder John Herron has revealed how he played through the pain barrier to help the Inver Park club secure European football next season.

Herron, who is struggling with Plantar Fasciitis, made a surprise return to action as a half-time substitute in Friday night’s dramatic play-off win over Glentoran.

And despite limping for periods of the second-half and battling through an additional half hour of extra-time, the 28-year-old helped Tiernan Lynch’s men secure a 4-2 victory.

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Prior to the weekend play-off, Herron’s previous action had come in a 0-0 draw with the Glens in a post-split fixture at the same venue on April 19.

“I hadn’t played or trained for a few weeks and you probably saw when I came on that I was limping a bit,” said the former Celtic player.

“I had been taking paracetamol for the pain and found out recently that I had Plantar Fasciitis on the bottom of my left foot. It has been excruciating.

“I managed to get through the second half and extra-time against Glentoran, but from five minutes in I could feel it shooting through my foot.

“I couldn’t really run, but it was a case of digging deep, gritting my teeth and trying to get a result because the team is more important than the individual.

“I would do the same thing tomorrow if it was needed. I’m just ecstatic for the club to get another year in Europe.”

Larne were trailing 2-0 at the Oval, only for the sending off of Glens defender Paddy McClean and four goals from ‘supersub’ Ronan Hale to turn the tie on its head.

Hale’s fourth goal was the pick of the bunch, the striker firing into an empty net from 75 yards out after home keeper Aaron McCarey had gone up for a last-gasp