Larne 'title favourites' insists Ruaidhri Higgins

Coleraine head coach Ruaidhri Higgins believes Larne’s experience of winning leagues makes them favourites to retain their title this season ahead of the clubs’ eagerly anticipated meeting on Friday night.

The two teams go head to head for a second time this campaign at Inver Park, their previous meeting at Ballycastle Road in August ending in a goalless draw.

Friday’s hosts have won every game since that first meeting while the Bannsiders have lost just once in their subsequent nine games, making Friday a huge game for both parties.

“I think Larne are favourites for the Irish League because of their experience of winning leagues in recent times and the continuity they've had,” Higgins said in advance of the game.

“That team's been built over a long period of time so from that point of view they're really stable.

“I know Gary makes comments about us and all that sort of stuff but he's got a really good group of players. That team has been together for a long time.

“I know people talk about our firepower but they've got seven strikers in their squad which is phenomenal really. I know a couple of them are hybrid, wide players/strikers but they have seven players you could name as strikers, so they've extremely good depth themselves.

“I think the fact that they're reigning champions should give the title of favourites, anyway, but people seem to forget that Charles Dunne has left the club, Mark Connolly has left the club, Mark Coyle is out for the season and Conor McMenamin, our highest profile signing in the off season, has left the club.

“People just fire silly stuff around without being educated or understanding. We don't just sign players – players have to leave the club as well - and I think that's something that we've done really good,” he added.

Coleraine, of course, have famously won the title just once in their almost 100 year history, a fact not lost on the current incumbent in the Showgrounds hot seat.

“It does shock me that Coleraine have only ever won league title once,” continued the Limavady man.

“When you look at the fan base here, and that's probably something we have over Larne, we have a much bigger fan base.

“This club is a giant in Irish League terms, in my opinion, in terms of the potential of the fan base, the catchment area. There's so much good about the place and it does surprise me that we've only won one league title, it really does shock me.

“But we've got fantastic people at the club who are extremely ambitious who have a clear vision and to me it's not about Ruaidhri Higgins, it's about Coleraine FC winning a league.

“Can we do it this year? It remains to be seen but it's something that we need and want to do in the very near future.”