Duns are aiming to slay another giant after rocking Larne

DUNDELA head coach Bryan McCarroll said his side were deserved winners over Larne in the Bet McLean League Cup and they will relish the chance to spring another surprise in the quarter-finals.

The Duns rocked the Invermen 3-1 in their own impressive backyard as a double from Owain Beggs and Ross Holden strike grabbed the headlines.

Proudly wearing the underdogs tag as the only non-Premeirship side left in the competition, the east Belfast side are now confident they can deliver another knockout blow.

Big spending full-time outfit Larne netted through Albert Watson but the Championship side rose to the occasion and stunned a side that had just thumped Glenavon 6-0.

“Our performances had been indifferent and we went down there knowing it was going to be a very tough game against opponents who we didn’t really enjoy playing last season,” admitted McCarroll

(right).

“Our results against them had not been good and we had injuries and suspensions to deal with as well.

“We didn’t know what to expect but on reflection I felt we deserved to win the game as the boys acquitted themselves very well.

“We changed the formation and really did not let their ball players get involved in the game.

“We were really pleased with how we played and to come away with a victory is great for us and we are the only non-Premiership side left in the competition, which is nice. “There’s a lot of big teams left in it and reaching the quarter-finals gives the boys more interest.”

Michael Kerr and Gareth Tommons are two good additions to the squad which is captained by Jay Magee, though the former Glentoran ace missed the Larne clash through illness.

“We are hoping the result lifts our confidence as our form has been indifferent and this can kickstart our season,” added former Dundela player McCarroll.

“We are sitting fourth and we want to improve on that.

“Some guys who haven’t had a lot of game time played against Larne and that gave us food for thought too.

“We have a good Academy and we hope to see the results of that in the years to come.”

The Duns are hoping to take on top flight sides on a more regular basis in the coming years.

“The club are trying to get things in place off the pitch to be in a position to play in the Premiership,” said McCarroll.

“It’s our job to make sure we are strong enough on the pitch to compete.

“Stormont not being in operation doesn’t help football clubs looking to transform their facilities but the ambition is there and it would be nice to get everything sorted.

“We have to finish as high as possible in the league.”

Awaiting Dundela in the last eight is either Ballymena United, Cliftonville, Institute, Coleraine, Crusaders or Linfield.

“It would be nice to get Linfield in the next round,” he added. “There’ll be on pressure on us as we are in the league below.

“We will do our homework on the opposition and give it our best shot. There’s no reason why we can’t win a one-off game against a Premiership side as we have shown already.”

Larne will have the chance to return to winning ways in the Premiership at Cliftonville on Saturday while Dundela go to Queens University in the Championship. Goal king: Owain Beggs hit a brace against Larne