From the second tier to history - Larne's rise to Europe

Five weeks aft Andy Ryan's £2.6 cardinal hat-trick, Larne are astir to embark connected history.

The reigning champions are nan first Irish Premiership broadside to scope nan main tie of a European title and recreation to Norway to look Molde connected Thursday.

When Molde past played an Irish Premiership outfit successful Europe backmost successful 2018 - past managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer and pinch a 17-year-old Erling Haaland marked retired of nan crippled by Glenavon's Andrew Doyle - Larne were still successful nan 2nd tier.

After being taken complete by section businessman Kenny Bruce successful 2017, nan club's fortunes changed some connected and disconnected nan pitch.

Their Inver Park crushed underwent a much-needed facelift, pinch an artificial transportation installed and caller stands put up, and accrued trading and professionalism brought fans, young and old, to nan ground.

When nan whistle blew, they romped to occurrence successful nan Championship by 17 points to gain promotion to nan Irish Premiership successful 2019 - and from location they haven't looked back.

In an question and reply pinch BBC Sport successful October 2018, pinch Larne still successful nan second-tier Championship, Bruce uttered 1 of nan much memorable Irish League quotes successful caller times.

"I would for illustration Larne to person nan Champions League euphony played astatine Inver Park 1 day."

It's a statement that earned immoderate ridicule from guidance fans and seemed almost outlandish astatine nan time, fixed they had not moreover played apical formation shot successful 10 years.

However, it showed nan ambition that Bruce had for nan nine he had supported since he was a boy.

After dominating nan Championship and earning promotion, Larne vanished sixth successful their first play backmost successful nan Irish Premiership successful nan Covid-hit 2019-20 campaign.

The pursuing season, Larne vanished 4th and qualified for Europe for nan first clip by winning nan play-off.

While they mislaid to Linfield successful nan Irish Cup final, location was besides a important infinitesimal arsenic they won nan County Antrim Shield - a title they would triumph 4 years successful a row.

In their first ever European campaign, they defeated Bala Town and AGF Aarhus earlier falling to Portugal's Pacos de Ferreira successful nan 3rd information of qualifying for nan Europa Conference League.

Tiernan Lynch's broadside dropped to 5th successful nan convention 2021-22, but they made it count erstwhile it mattered and again came retired connected apical successful nan play-off to scope Europe erstwhile again, nevertheless they suffered a first-round qualifying exit to St Joseph's of Gibraltar.

History came erstwhile they won their first Irish Premiership title nan pursuing play - and Bruce's dream of playing successful nan Champions League came true.

They exited astatine nan first information of qualifying to HJK Helsinki, and different conclusion followed against Ballkani of Kosovo aft they dropped into Europa Conference League qualifying.

However, Larne responded to go convention champions for nan 2nd twelvemonth successful a statement to group up their historical run.

After missing retired connected nan group stages nan erstwhile year, Larne's run sewage disconnected to a rocky commencement erstwhile they mislaid successful Champions League qualifying to RFS.

They dropped into nan 3rd information of Europa Conference League qualifying, and location was play astatine Inver Park arsenic Larne sewage revenge connected Ballkani by progressing 4-1 connected penalties.

Then came nan celebrated nighttime astatine Inver Park against Lincoln Red Imps. Linfield had travel adjacent to making history 2 years earlier, and Larne now looked to debar akin heartbreak.

After losing nan first limb 2-1 successful Gibraltar, Larne's task was made moreover much difficult erstwhile Bernardo Lopes slotted location successful nan 20th minute.

Scottish striker Ryan has go a instrumentality favourite since signing successful 2023 and he scored 2 penalties earlier half-time to level nan tie.

However, location was much play to travel erstwhile Chris Gallagher was sent off.

But Ryan stepped up to beryllium nan leader erstwhile he converted Benji Magee's transverse to nonstop nan location support into bedlam 7 minutes to play.

That statement successful nan stands continued agelong aft nan last whistle.

Now, Larne's European dreams are group to go a reality.

It will beryllium a reliable trial arsenic they equilibrium a first European run pinch a stacked home schedule, pinch their convention defence and cup ties besides connected nan cards.

First up, it's a travel to Molde connected 3 October. The Norwegians, who mislaid to Glenavon successful 2018, are 3rd successful nan convention and travel into nan crippled unbeaten successful four.

Larne's location matches will beryllium played astatine Windsor Park, nan location of their Irish Premiership rivals Linfield, arsenic Inver Park does not meet Uefa's requirements for nan group stages and Shamrock Rovers will make nan short travel to Belfast astatine nan extremity of nan month.

Swiss broadside St Gallen recreation to Northern Ireland connected 7 November earlier Tiernan Lynch's broadside sojourn Ljubljana to look Olimpija astatine nan extremity of November.

Larne's lucifer pinch Dinamo Minsk is apt to beryllium down closed doors owed to existent Uefa restrictions against Belarus, and their group shape ends pinch perchance their toughest fixture, astatine location to Belgian giants Gent.

Financially, nan nine has already earned £2.6m pinch their qualification, and that fig tin emergence pinch affirmative results.

Larne person already ventured wherever nary broadside from nan Irish Premiership has been before. Will they make moreover much history?