The night Haaland 'didn't get a kick' against Glenavon in 2018

"Maybe I won nan mind games because he didn't get overmuch of a kick."

Irish Premiership champions Larne will beryllium breaking caller crushed for nan title erstwhile they commencement nan convention shape of their Conference League run against Molde connected Thursday evening, though their opponents are already acquainted to Northern Ireland shot watchers.

Indeed, nan communicative of really a young Erling Haaland was marked retired of a crippled by storage head Andrew Doyle has gone down successful Glenavon history.

When nan Mid-Ulster broadside were drawn against nan Norwegian outfit successful nan 2018 Europa League qualifiers, nan Manchester United supporters successful nan squad - Doyle among them - were thrilled astatine nan imaginable of going against a broadside managed by Ole Gunnar Solskjaer.

But, past still a fewer weeks awkward of his 18th birthday, nan side's young striker was already building rather nan reputation.

Indeed, aft scoring six goals successful nan 2 convention games earlier nan tie, Glenavon's players were told location would beryllium successful nan region of 20 scouts from nan biggest clubs successful nan world coming to Lurgan for an in-person position of nan superstar successful waiting.

"We were watching highlights of their games, sitting watching tapes of him scoring hat-tricks, 2 goals here, different there," remembers Doyle, who near Glenavon past summertime and has been playing for Rathcoole successful inferior football.

"All nan boys were giving maine stick, 'Doyler, you'll beryllium getting tight against him.' Everyone was winding maine up."

Aside from his guidance to Manchester City's tie pinch Arsenal this month, nan years since person seen nan back-to-back Premier League Golden Boot victor create thing of a robotic estimation but, moreover astatine that stage, Doyle struggled to get a emergence from nan emerging star.

"I did effort to upwind him up, springiness him a wee spot disconnected nan ball, but it didn't fuss him 1 bit.

"A due professional, I suppose. I wouldn't opportunity cool and calm, but you conscionable didn't get a guidance retired of him.

"He conscionable looked astatine you to say, 'who are you?' benignant of thing. Which was correct - who americium I?"

While Doyle remembers tackling nan teen being akin to "hitting a ceramic wall", each those scouts descending upon nan crippled were capable to get an unexpected jump connected nan postulation during a crippled Glenavon won 2-1 to declare a first European triumph successful 23 years.

"I had to beryllium up for it and ready. I knew what was coming.

"But he didn't get overmuch of a kick. Our transportation wasn't nan best, not for illustration astatine Glenavon now, and possibly that played a part.

"He was moved to near helping for nan past 20 minutes of nan crippled and 10 minutes later he sewage taken off."

When leaving Glenavon aft 7 years this summer, nan club's connection connected Doyle's departure referenced his marking occupation connected Haaland, though nan man himself is speedy to accent he cannot return sole in installments for nan burgeoning superstar's early exit six summers ago.

With a laugh, however, he admits that modesty does not ever widen to societal situations erstwhile he is "quick to punctual nan boys successful nan bar" watching Haaland now of nan time he sewage nan amended of nan world's astir feared striker.

Haaland would miss nan return limb owed to nan European Under-19 Championship - Molde won 5-1 successful Norway, scoring doubly precocious connected pinch Glenavon chasing an distant extremity that would person sent them done - and nan adjacent period it was confirmed that RB Salzburg had won nan title for his coveted signature.

Hung connected nan wall of Doyle's location coming are a image of him pinch Solskjaer and nan Molde jersey of Eirik Hestad, nan side's different prima who scored 4 goals crossed nan necktie and could look Larne this week aft returning to nan nine past year.

The memories are profession highlights for Doyle, moreover if somewhat bittersweet.

Speaking afterwards, Solskjaer expressed disbelief that nan Glenavon defender and his team-mates were not full-time professionals and Doyle thinks shot coupled pinch spending truthful overmuch clip connected his feet during his time occupation proved excessively reliable connected his body.

"That was nan past clip I was decently afloat fit, that Molde match," says nan 33-year-old.

"I was retired for much aliases little nan afloat play after. We went backmost into pre-season, played Newry early on, and my knee ballooned up.

"It was nan 2nd large cognition connected it. I was ne'er capable to get backmost to nan standard."

For Haaland, meanwhile, nan goals person flowed successful an almost unbroken manner since, done nan remainder of his clip successful Molde, past astatine RB Salzburg, Borussia Dortmund and now Manchester City.

The much he finds nan nett connected nan world's biggest stages, nan much fondly those successful a different shadiness of bluish retrieve nan time he drew a blank astatine Mourneview Park.