Larne vs Lincoln Red Imps

Larne and Lincoln Red Imps meet in the Conference League play-off round, the last hurdle before the league phase proper. Larne arrive as freshly crowned NIFL Premiership champions, in Europe for a fourth straight summer, while Lincoln Red Imps are reigning Gibraltar champions chasing a first-ever UEFA league phase appearance. It's been a rollercoaster summer in Europe for both sides. Larne beat Tre Fiori in Champions League qualifying before a heavy defeat to Crvena Zvezda, then fell to Georgia's Iberia 1999 in Europa League qualifying. Lincoln Red Imps lost 2-1 on aggregate to Cyprus's Omonia Nicosia, despite a stoppage-time equalizer in the first leg. Domestically, Larne opened their new season with a goalless draw at Coleraine. For Lincoln Red Imps, Manu Toledano, the Gibraltar league's 30-goal top scorer, and Tjay De Barr carry the attacking threat. The two sides met at this exact stage two years ago, with Larne edging through 4-3 on aggregate. Our prediction: 2-1