Larne manager Gary Haveron commended the “composure” exhibited by goalkeeper Rohan Ferguson and the players during the penalty shootout as his team triumphed over Glentoran in the Irish Cup quarter-final at the Oval.
Ferguson made remarkable saves against all three Glentoran penalties after the match ended in a 1-1 draw following extra time. Meanwhile, Tomas Cosgrove, Sean Graham, and Chris Gallagher successfully converted their penalties, propelling Larne into the semi-finals.
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It was a fitting way for Haveron to mark his 45th birthday, with Ferguson delivering an ideal gift as Larne pursues its first Irish Cup title. “Rohan Ferguson came up and wished me ‘Happy birthday, gaffer,’ so it was an incredible way to end the day. This was exactly what I wanted for my birthday, and it couldn’t have turned out better,” he shared with BBC Sport NI.
“I’m thrilled we’ve made it through to the semi-finals. You know how tough it is to play at the Oval, where games often come down to fine margins. I’m delighted we came out on top.
“The players displayed outstanding composure in the penalty shootout. We’ve done this before against Auda and Pristina in Europe, and our confidence showed. With Ro Ferguson, we have the best goalkeeper in the league, and for him to save three penalties was incredible.”
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Haveron expressed satisfaction with his team’s response following a lackluster first half, highlighted by Andy Ryan’s equalizer to Cammy Palmer’s opener, while MJ Kamson Kamara was sent off after receiving two yellow cards for the hosts.
“We didn’t start strong in the first half and failed to pressure them, but the second half brought a fantastic response. I couldn’t have asked more; they kept pushing and earned their goal. During extra time, we looked like the team destined to win it.
To me, penalties aren’t just a lottery, especially with Ro and players who have real composure who’ve been in these situations before.”