WATCH: Former Ballymena United and Larne defender Craig Farquhar scores first goal for Crystal Palace U21s in Premier League Cup victory over Leicester City

The 20-year-old swapped Inver Park for Selhurst Park in January, following in the footsteps of Northern Ireland youth international Kofi Balmer, and has hit the ground running in London.

Farquhar opened the scoring with a 14th minute header to help the young Eagles side progress to the quarter-finals as he continues his impressive progression having only made a first senior start for David Jeffrey’s Sky Blues last year.

He played 25 times for Larne, who currently sit one point ahead of second-placed Linfield with a game in hand as they look to retain their Premiership title, this season before departing for Palace.

“I’m delighted to be here, it’s such a big club,” said Farquhar at the time. “I’m glad to get everything over the line and I can't wait to get started.”

Crystal Palace Academy Director Gary Issott added: “Craig is a player that the club’s watched over a long period of time.

“He’s a young centre-half that’s experienced both first-team and European football early in his career and he has all the attributes to play at the highest levels in the game.

“Craig joins our Under-21s and will add competition in the defensive part of the pitch.”

Larne manager Tiernan Lynch said: “As a club we are disappointed to lose Craig as a player, because he has very much shown his worth to the team in a relatively short space of time.

"However, it’s a very significant step forward for him in his career and we are pleased to give the platform for another player to progress into the full-time game in England.

“As we said when we signed him we have shown with a number of times how full-time football at Larne can play a hugely significant role in helping a player to progress even further and Craig has done exactly that.

“Craig goes with our very best wishes and we will keep track of his career with great interest.”