We need a fox in the box, says Curneen

Larne Tech had to be content with a point in Saturday’s 1-1 home draw with Division 1A stablemates Rosario Youth Club.
Sencer Yilmaz was on target for Larne Tech OB in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Rosario. Photo: Phillip ByrneSencer Yilmaz was on target for Larne Tech OB in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Rosario. Photo: Phillip Byrne
Sencer Yilmaz was on target for Larne Tech OB in Saturday's 1-1 draw with Rosario. Photo: Phillip Byrne

The Tech should have won comfortably but they could also have lost it right at the end if it weren’t for a fine save from former Crusaders stopper, Chris Keenan.

Tech coach Niall Curneen told the Times: “If it had been a boxing match, it would have been stopped, but we didn’t put the ball in the net at the right time. On another day we could have won comfortably but we need someone to put the ball in the tent - a fox in the box!”

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Home strikers Sencer Yilmaz and Sean Ward had most of the first-half chances, only for Rosario to pinch the lead with their only clear-cut opportunity - a 20th minute effort that took a deflection on its way past keeper Keenan.

Yet it was the Tech who started the second half firing on all cylinders, roaring back when Yilmaz finally got it right, with a towering header from Niall McConaghy’s cross.

From there in, there only looked to be one winner but Ward and McConaghy were robbed by last-ditch tackles, while Ward seemed to have done the needful in rounding the keeper only for a defender to slide in from nowhere and smuggle the ball off the line.

Rosario who almost produced the sting in the tail right at the end, but for a fine save from otherwise underused Keenan.

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Larne Tech OB: Keenan – Campbell, R Thompson, Wilkinson, McNeill – McConaghy, Steele (Smyth), Montgomery, Monaghan – Yilmaz (Barkley), Ward. Sub (unused) Hyslop.

Players out: Craig Cowie, M, Gareth Hastings, D/M, Wellington Rec.