Tiernan Lynch accepts Larne will have to navigate one of the Irish League’s toughest away trips if they’re to plot a route to the last four of the Irish Cup.
County Antrim rivals Ballymena United may be lying mid-table in the Danske Bank Premiership, but David Jeffrey’s men boast one of the best home records in the division.
The Sky Blues have gone 10 games without defeat in all competitions at the Warden Street Showgrounds, dating back to a 1-0 loss to Carrick Rangers in November.
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Only David Healy’s Linfield, who are unbeaten in 18 games at Windsor Park this season, boast a better home record this campaign.
“Ballymena’s home form is really good and they are extremely difficult to beat,” said Lynch ahead of Saturday’s quarter-final showdown.
“They are physical, they’re strong and they’re also very direct. They also don’t take huge chances so we know the challenge we’ll face.”
While Ballymena’s patchwork pitch has come in for criticism this season, Lynch insists Larne, who play on a 3G surface at Inver Park, won’t be using the pitch as an “excuse”.
“I was down at Ballymena a couple of weeks ago and the pitch was really poor,” he said. “It’s not conducive to us moving them around or playing the way we like to play.
“But that’s not something we’ll concentrate or focus on. You can’t start looking for excuses or anything like that.
“We know we’ll not be playing on a perfect surface, but we will prepare accordingly.”
Ballymena United beat Larne 2-1 when the two teams last met in the league at the Showgrounds in December.
However the Inver Reds defeated the Sky Blues 4-0 and 3-0 in the Shield and league respectively at the same venue in October.
Elsewhere today, Crusaders - who last lifted the Irish Cup in 2019 - face Dungannon Swifts at Seaview,
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