Tiernan Lynch on the turning point of Larne's season as Inver Reds get ready to lift second consecutive Premiership title

Heading into November’s showdown with Linfield, the Inver Reds trailed their opponents by eight points in the title race and knew defeat would help open up a healthy cushion for David Healy’s men even at such an early stage.

Larne had drawn five and lost one of their 15 league matches prior to that Belfast trip and fell behind after Joel Cooper’s opener, but a stunning strike from Mark Randall and Joe Thomson’s second-half goal helped seal a 2-1 success in what was a defining month.

Lynch’s men had already beaten Cliftonville eight days prior and also went on to record triumphs over Coleraine and Glentoran during a 24-game unbeaten league run which laid the platform for their defence.

This campaign has been even more impressive than last term with Larne winning more games, losing fewer and conceding less while scoring significantly more, but Lynch admits that meeting with the Blues was pivotal.

"It shows the strength in the league and in Linfield,” he said. “We beat Linfield here in November and had we lost that night would have went 11 points behind - that probably would have been curtains for us if truth be told.

"I thought we were magnificent on that night - the total opposite to what you seen on Monday - and that set us up. We went on a run that month of beating Cliftonville, Linfield, Glentoran and Coleraine. We clawed it back and that gave us the confidence to go on and try to push for this."

Larne will become the first club from outside of the capital city to win consecutive league titles since Portadown in the early-1990s when Cian Bolger hoists the Gibson Cup after their final match against Coleraine and Lynch admits it promises to be a “special day”.

"If we can go on and do this it would be a magnificent achievement and great credit has to go to the football club and everybody involved with it,” he added. “It certainly hasn't been easy...there has been a lot of blood, sweat, tears, falling out and making up - it will be a special day for them on Saturday if we can get over the line."