STEEL CUP: Chimney Corner 0 Larne 3

Larne coasted into the next round of the Toals Steel & Sons Cup at Allen Park with a 3-0 win over Chimney Corner.
Larne captain Paul Maguire. INLT 32-912-CONLarne captain Paul Maguire. INLT 32-912-CON
Larne captain Paul Maguire. INLT 32-912-CON

Stuart McMullan opened the scoring and captain Paul Maguire grabbed a brace.

In truth, the Reds never got out of second gear and the home side conjured up only one noteworthy chance. After seven minutes Maguire combined with strike partner Ciaran Murray to unlock the home defence but the former fired over the bar. Murray then went close steering a John Donnelly pass inches past the upright.

Larne took the lead after 16 minutes. A short corner from Murray found debutant Anto McGonnell and his cross was headed home by McMullan.

A rare break out of defence by the home side saw Jamie Willingham send a diagonal ball to release David Hanna who should have tested Paddy Flood, but he fired well wide.

On the half-hour Maguire was only inches away from adding a second when he glanced Kevin Bradley’s cross just wide. The captain was out of luck again when his close range shot found the side-netting.

Maguire got off the mark a minute after the break. Having seen his initial effort hooked off the line he was on hand to convert the resultant corner from Murray.

He should have doubled his tally three minutes later. Murray played him in only for Maguire to steer his shot wide with the goal at his mercy.

The third goal arrived 18 minutes from time. Murray chased down what looked like a lost cause to deliver a cross from the right. The ball broke to Maguire and this time he made no mistake tucking it into the bottom right corner.

The captain wasted another chance to complete his hat-trick in the closing minutes when he diverted a long clearance wide of the mark.

CHIMNEY CORNER: Watson, McKay, Toner, Kelly, Bruce, Butler, Martin, Kirkwood, Hanna, Willingham, Bell. Subs: Murphy, Haire, Ryles, Waite.

LARNE: Flood, Bradley (Woods 58), Smith, McClean, Rodgers (Murray 82), McMullan, Irvine, Donnelly (McClean 51), Maguire, Murray, McGonnell. Subs not used: Stitt.