FORMER Colchester United loanee Cian Bolger will be hoping to help his side turn around a first-leg deficit after making his Champions League debut.

Bolger, who spent time on loan with the U’s in the 2013-14 season, started for Northern Ireland champions Larne in their 1-0 first-leg defeat, in their first-round qualifier at HJK Helsinki.

The Irish Premiership champions have work to do in the home leg of the tie next Wednesday after Bolger conceded a third-minute penalty with a foul on Topi Keskinen, which allowed Bojan Radulovic to score from the spot.

 

Larne, who failed to have a shot on target in 90 minutes, face a difficult task against a Finnish side who reached the group stages of last season's Europa League.

The second leg will be played at Solitude, home of Cliftonville, on Wednesday after Larne's artificial pitch at their Inver Park base failed to meet the required Champions League standards.

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Larne boss Tiernan Lynch said: "I think we under-performed, to be honest, in the first half.

"It's the first time in the Champions League and we were a little bit in awe and we maybe gave them too much respect.

 

"We had a little bit of a conversation at half-time about being a bit braver, giving a better account of what we are as a team and a club. I think we definitely did that in the second half."

Bolger made four appearances for Colchester while on loan from Bolton Wanderers, between October 2013 and November 2013.

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He went on to play for the likes of Southend United, Lincoln City and Northampton Town before joining Larne in the summer of 2021.

Bolger featured in the Europa Conference League against Danish club Aarhus and Portuguese outfit Pacos de Ferreira, in the 2021-22 season.