Larne can handle Oval showdown pressure - Haveron

Larne manager Gary Haveron said his side have to prepare to face a "a big, strong and physical" Glentoran during Friday's potential title-decider at the Oval (19:45 BST, live on BBC iPlayer).

Victory over the Glens will secure Larne's third Premiership title in four years after triumphs in 2023 and 2024.

However, a Glentoran win would take the title race to the final game of the season.

"We are excited and it is a really hard place to go, probably one of the hardest places in the league this year," Haveron told BBC Sport NI.

"They are a big, strong and physical team and they are experienced now. We know how difficult it will be, but we have shown that we can handle the pressure of playing at the Oval (Larne won 4-1 there in January).

"It will be a big crowd. We need to be at our best and be prepared for the challenge.

The Inver Reds sit three points clear at the top of the Premiership, but Glentoran are unbeaten in their past nine league games.

The sides are also level on goal difference after Glentoran - who last won the title in 2009 - closed the gap with a 5-0 thrashing of Dungannon Swifts.

"It is a huge game, it was always going to be huge game regardless of what happened on Saturday. It was always going to be a massive task," he continued.

"We will recover, it has been a tough few weeks. There was a lot of football played and a lot of running in the legs on a big, big pitch at Windsor."