Larne will play another season without European football after they crash out of the Europa Conference League Qualifiers following a 4-1 loss to Ballkani tonight.

Having lost 3-0 in the opening leg last week, Larne were beaten by a score of 7 goals to 1 on aggregate.

Despite making a bright start to the game, and being the better side for much of the opening half, Larne were unable to convert their chances and were punished by a clinical Ballkani side.

The Kosovans converted both of their first half chances to goals, silencing the crowd at Solitude, killing off this game as a contest.

Two contrasting game-plans were on display tonight, as Larne looked to ensure a high tempo game and score early to mount their 3-0 comeback. Ballkani, on the other hand, were patient and calculated in their approach, content with playing the ball across the defence for much of their possessions. When they decided to launch an attack, they were ruthless and stunned Larne.

Lee Bonis had two chances in the first half to give Larne the lead on the night, but on both occasions the striker’s effort drifted wide. Firstly, Bonis was put through one-on-one with the Ballkani goalkeeper Ehea Kolici following a looping pass from Rohan Ferguson in the Larne net.

Bonis found himself with just the goalkeeper to beat, but Kolici did well to come off his line quickly and make himself big. Bonis’ shot drifted wide in what could have been a tie-defining moment.

Similarly, in the 23^rd minute, Bonis found himself in a similar situation, this time coming from a quick Larne counter attack. Following a Ballkani corner, Bonis, Dylan Sloan and Andrew Ryan charged up the pitch with Bonis leading the charge.

With the ball at his feet, Bonis took the ball beyond a scoreable angle, with his touch really letting him down. Ballkani right-back Armend Thaqi did exceptionally well to close down the distance, sprinting 50 metres, and did just enough to put Bonis off, whose shot hit the side-netting.

Larne were made to regret their missed opportunities in the 27^th minute when Ballkani attacked clinically. Albion Rrahmani, who was brought on as a substitute following an injury in the 16^th minute, picked up the ball on the left wing, linking up well with his strike partner Nazmi Gripshi.

The two attackers combined with a series of quick passes and found themselves well inside the Larne penalty area. A low cross from Rrahmani found Gripshi at the near post, the striker getting a touch on the ball to guide it into the back of the net.

Ballkani’s goal stunned Larne, and it wasn’t long before they got their second of the night. Gripshi and Rrahmani combined again for Ballkani’s second goal, the substitute Rrahmani playing a splitting ball through the middle of the Larne defence, who tried to employ an offside trap.

The Larne defence were late in stepping up, and Gripshi found himself one-on-one with Rohan Ferguson in the Larne net. Setting himself well, Gripshi struck the ball to Ferguson’s right, with the goalkeeper unable to keep the ball out of his net.

Ballkani were ruthless in the first half, producing two moments against the run of play to kill any momentum that Larne had been able to build. Fresh out from the half-time break, Ballkani crushed Larne spirits even more inside just one minute.

Albion Rrahmani was rewarded for his hard work in the first half by scoring a wonderful goal from outside the box, striking the ball first time. Almir Kryeziu won the ball back high up the pitch and rolled the ball to Rrahmani who was approaching at speed. Rrahmani struck the ball cleanly down to the right of Ferguson, killing any hope at a comeback from Larne.

Larne wouldn’t go down without a fight however, as the third goal sparked the home side into life. Larne won themselves a penalty in the 58^th minute following a handball in the penalty area from Qendrim Zyba. There was no hesitation from referee Vilhjalmur Alvar Thorarinsson, and Lee Bonis stepped up to take the penalty. Bonis sent the goalkeeper the wrong way, powering the ball into the bottom-left corner.

Larne took great confidence from this goal and looked to push on, now playing for pride, but they were dealt a hammer blow in the 66^th minute when Almir Kryeziu scored Ballkani’s fourth. Meriton Korenica picked up the ball on the right wing and played a pass to Kryeziu on his left.

Kryeziu took a touch before rocketing the ball past Ferguson in the Larne goal from 30 yards. Ferguson did well to get a touch on the ball, but it wasn’t enough to keep the ball out of the net. Ballkani had immediately wrestled back control of this game, and silenced the home crowd.

Ballkani were in a different league tonight, dismissing a spirited Larne side with ease. Despite the home side making a bright start, Ballkani were clinical on the counter attack and really made Larne pay for their mistakes. The visitors were clinical with their chances and march on to the next round of Qualifiers.