LARNE captain Tomás Cosgrove has a message for his team-mates going into the Samuel Gelston’s Whiskey Irish Cup semi-final against Ballymena United at Seaview - “play our own game and enjoy it”.
The 30-year-old Ardoyne native will lead his side out hoping to become the first ever Larne player to lift the coveted trophy, an opportunity not lost on him,
“Yeah look, this is what we play football for, to win things, especially at the professional level. It would make me so proud to bring this cup back to the people of Larne who have waited too long for this,” he said.
Larne take a break from league duties in which they will head into the top-six split five points ahead of Linfield with five games remaining.
Between them and a place in the May 7 showpiece final is last year’s beaten finalists Ballymena United.
David Jeffrey’s Braidmen will be keen to repeat the victory over the Inver Park side achieved in last year’s quarter-final which the Sky Blues won after a thrilling penalty shoot-out.
If Ballymena do come out victorious, they will have reached their third cup final in five years, a remarkable statistic for a team languishing in the lower echelons of the Danske Bank Premiership.
Cosgrove - who made his 200th Larne appearance against Ballymena in a 1-0 victory just two weeks ago - does not think league standings will matter for much.
“We can’t underestimate Ballymena,” he said.
“You don’t get any easy games at a semi-final stage and they made it very hard for us two weeks ago. David has got them set up well for picking off teams in cup football and we will have to be at our best to come through.”
This game is boss Tiernan Lynch’s third venture into the semi-finals of the Irish Cup during his tenure at Larne, his only final appearance coming in 2021, when his side lost 2-1 to Linfield at Mourneview Park.
He will be hoping to go one better this year.
To reach this stage Larne have overcome Crumlin United, Linfield (via penalties) and H&W Welders in the quarter-finals.
Ballymena have got past Carrick Rangers, Newington and Ballyclare Comrades in a relatively fortunate path to the last four.
Larne will start the game as favourites and rightfully so given their recent league form, however Ballymena cannot be discounted on these special match days where there are no second chances.
Cosgrove agreed: “I’ve told the players, particularly the younger guys, do your homework, trust your talent and go out and enjoy the experience.
“Nerves will be there but, for us, our aim is the final, so we will keep our eyes on the job, play our own system and hopefully we will be at Windsor on 7th May.”
