 | IRISH CUP SEMI-FINALS |
Larne manager Jimmy McGeough hailed his side as sensational after they upset the odds to clinch a place in the Nationwide Irish Cup final. A second half penalty scored by Mark Dickson was enough to beat Ballymena and put the Inver Park side into their first final for 16 years.
"The team spirit has been tremendous. If the Larne team turns up, we are a match for anybody," said McGeough.
"The players have turned things around. They have become characters."
The decisive Dickson spot-kick came on 58 minutes when referee Adrian McCourt ruled that Jeff Hughes had been tripped by Ciaran Donaghy's trailing leg.
Dickson, who scored a hat-trick in the quarter-final against Loughgall, coolly slotted away the penalty for his 19th of the season.
But the Larne hero was goalkeeper Alex Spackman who pulled off a string of outstanding saves.
Strong volley
He dived low to palm away a Gareth Mullan shot and pulled off a brilliant one-handed save to turn Joe Gray's overhead kick behind for a corner.
From the set-piece Spackman stopped a strong volley from United defender Gordon Simms.
In the second half Spackman denied Garth Scates while Oran Kearney saw an effort scrape an upright.
Sky Blues boss Kenny Shiels threw on top scorer Rory Hamill as substitute but it was not to be their day.
Having reached the last four without playing senior opposition, defeat to a team six places below them in the Premier League table will be a bitter pill to swallow for United fans.
MMIX
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