CHAMPIONSHIP 1: Irvine’s delight at Larne’s magnificent seven against Whites

David McAlinden’s men were dominant throughout the match and could have added to the hefty scoreline.

Scott Irvine got the ball rolling when he lashed in the game’s opening goal from 25 yards after 16 minutes.

It was his first goal since his return from injury in January.

The midfielder said: “The win was the most important thing. We wanted to continue the momentum from the two Cup wins and I thought we showed a lot of hunger and desire - even after we went in 3-0 up at half-time.

“After the first 10 minutes I thought we dominated and it didn’t really seem normal being 7-0 up, but I’d take it every week!”

The Invermen were in the ascendency from the moment Irvine scored and the second arrived just seven minutes later when Darren Stuart nodded on Ciaran Murray’s inswinging free-kick from the left flank.

On the stroke of half-time referee Ken Gibbons adjudged Niall Derry to have halted Murray as he raced clear into penalty box.

Derry saw red and Murray lashed in number three from the spot.

Any thoughts of an unlikely comeback were quashed a minute into the second half when skipper Paul Maguire reacted quickest to Ryan McBride’s save from a Murray effort.

The one-way traffic continued and the fifth arrived on 50 minutes when Murray was fouled inside the box and once more dusted himself down to score.

Darren Stuart doubled his tally 14 minutes later reacting quickest to Ciaran Murray’s low corner and poking the ball home from six yards.

The scoring was completed with 21 minutes still left on the clock as Murray wrapped up his hat-trick.

He broke the offside trap all to easily and coolly chipped past McBride for number seven.

Gareth Ringland became the second player from the home side to receive his marching orders, after a high challenge on Darren Stuart.

Larne: Flood, Robinson, Smith (Burns), Rodgers, McMullan, McClean, G Gillan (McAlea), Irvine, Stuart, Maguire, Murray (McCabe). Unused subs: Woods, Donnelly.

Lisburn Distillery: McBride, Ringland, McMenamin (Fegan), Burns, Nixon, Hughes, Derry, McIlhagga, Jones, Armstrong, Southam (Withers). Unused subs: Koypt, Taggart, Morrison.

Referee: Mr Ken Gibbons