Dates, venues, star players and more - Everything you need to know about Larne's UEFA Conference League opponents

From when and where the matches will be taking place to the players which the Inver Reds will have to be most wary of, here’s your guide to Larne’s upcoming European adventure.

MATCHDAY ONE – MOLDE, THURSDAY OCTOBER 3 (5:45PM), AKER STADIUM

How did Molde get to this stage?

Molde finished fifth in their league last season but won the Norwegian Cup which seen them progress into Europa League second round qualifying, where they defeated Silkeborg before dispatching Cercle Brugge.

They came within touching distance of qualifying for Europe’s second-tier competition, but ultimately lost out on penalties to Swedish side Elfsborg to drop into the Conference League.

How are they doing this season so far?

Molde are already over halfway through their league season – another challenge facing Larne – and currently sit fourth, 10 points adrift of leaders Bodo/Glimt while they’ve made it through to the Norwegian Cup quarter-finals.

Who are their star players we’ve to watch out for?

Former Manchester United youth product Magnus Eikrem, who also spent time at Heerenveen, Cardiff City and Seattle Sounders before returning to Norway, sits top of the league’s goalscoring charts having netted 10 times.

Another player Larne will have to be wary of is Emil Breivik – the 24-year-old midfielder received his maiden call-up to Norway’s senior national team last season and is highly-rated.

MATCHDAY TWO – SHAMROCK ROVERS, THURSDAY OCTOBER 24 (5:45PM), WINDSOR PARK

How did Shamrock Rovers get to this stage?

Perhaps the most anticipated fixture of the six, this one pits the Irish League champions against the League of Ireland kings with Shamrock Rovers winning the title in each of the past four seasons.

Just like Larne, they started in Champions League qualifying, beating Icelandic outfit Vikingur before dropping into the Europa League after losing out to Sparta Prague.

A triumph over Celje ensured Conference League status – and a trip to Premier League giants Chelsea – despite their 6-0 Europa League play-off aggregate defeat to PAOK.

How are they doing this season so far?

Another team playing summer football, Rovers’ bid for a fifth straight league crown is all but over as they sit sixth after 26 matches and 13 points behind Damien Duff’s Shelbourne. They were also eliminated in the FAI Cup last-32 by Bohemians.

Who are their star players we’ve to watch out for?

This one could be billed as the McEneff Derby with Shamrock Rovers midfielder Aaron, who formerly was in the Tottenham academy before playing for Derry City and Hearts, coming up against brother Jordan – a recent arrival at Larne.

Young striker Johnny Kenny has netted 10 league goals in 20 appearances this season but has been out of action for the past month while Aaron Greene has 10 goal contributions and also netted twice against Sparta Prague.

MATCHDAY THREE – ST GALLEN, THURSDAY NOVEMBER 7 (8PM), WINDSOR PARK

How did St Gallen get to this stage?

The Swiss outfit held their nerve in an impressive Conference League play-off penalty shootout victory over Trabzonspor in front of over 26,000 supporters at Papara Park.

Before that they defeated Tobol (Kazakhstan) and Slask (Poland) having earned a shot at Europe after finishing fifth in last seasons’ Swiss Super League.

How are they doing this season so far?

They’ve balanced their European run by playing four league matches to date, winning each of their last three and have also secured progression in the Swiss Cup.

Who are their star players we’ve to watch out for?

France youth international striker Willem Geubbels, who started his career with Lyon and also spent time with Monaco, has played a key role in helping St Gallen get to this stage and began the new league season with four goal contributions in as many matches.

Captain Lukas Görtler represented Bayern Munich II before spending two years in the Netherlands with Utrecht.

MATCHDAY FOUR – OLIMPIJA LJUBLJANA, THURSDAY NOVEMBER 28 (8PM), STOZICE STADIUM

How did Olimpija Ljubljana get to this stage?

Olimpija Ljubljana finished third in the Slovenian PrvaLiga last season to earn their spot in Conference League qualifying and navigated their way past Polissya Zhytomyr, Sheriff Tiraspol and Rijeka.

This is the second consecutive season they’ve made it this far – they finished third in a group that contained Lille, Slovan Bratislava and KI last term.

How are they doing this season so far?

They’ve already played six league matches, collecting 12 points and sit third, just two points behind leaders Bravo at this early stage. They are unbeaten at the Stozice Stadium, which has a capacity of over 16,000.

Who are their star players we’ve to watch out for?

Croatian striker Ivan Durdov, who has spent time in Belgium and Spain, has scored three times at the start of this season while 20-year-old defender Marcel Ratnik has already been handed captaincy – a signal of his potential.

MATCHDAY FIVE – DINAMO MINSK, THURSDAY DECEMBER 12 (5:45PM), SUMGAYIT CITY STADIUM

How did Dinamo Minsk get to this stage?

Dinamo Minsk won the Belarusian league title for the first time in 19 years last season and progressed past Pyunik in Champions League first round qualifying before losing out to Ludogorets.

They defeated Lincoln Red Imps in Europa League qualifying and only narrowly lost 2-0 in the play-off round to Belgian giants Anderlecht, dropping into the Conference League. Their fixture against Larne will be played in Azerbaijan, which means Tiernan Lynch’s side will undertake a significant round-trip of over 5,000 miles.

How are they doing this season so far?

Minsk are 15 games through their league season and due to European progression have four games in hand on current leaders Neman, who they trail by eight points, while they’ve booked their spot in the last-16 of the cup.

Who are their star players we’ve to watch out for?

Defender Sergey Politevich has played 45 times for Belarus’ national team and is enjoying his second stint with Dinamo Minsk while highly-rated goalkeeper Fedor Lapoukhov has already earned an international cap at 21.

MATCHDAY SIX – KAA GENT, THURSDAY DECEMBER 19 (8PM), WINDSOR PARK

How did KAA Gent get to this stage?

Undoubtedly the toughest task of Larne’s European run, Belgian outfit Gent strolled through Conference League qualifying by beating Víkingur, Silkeborg and Partizan, meaning they’ll compete in the latter stages of this competition for the fourth consecutive season.

They’ve made it out of the group in each of the last three attempts, losing to eventual champions West Ham United in the 2022/23 quarter-finals.

How are they doing this season so far?

Gent have endured a tough start to the Belgian league season, sitting 12th after four matches while they attempt to balance European progression with domestic hopes.

Who are their star players we’ve to watch out for?

Talisman Julien De Sart left for Qatar this summer while Lille spent a reported £10million to prise Matias Fernandez-Pardo away from Gent, but they still have quality throughout their team.

Japan international Tsuyoshi Watanabe, Belgian youth star Mathias Delorge and 22-year-old Matisse Samoise are all amongst the names to keep an eye on.