How does Larne's European exit impact Irish League?

It has been a European campaign to forget for Irish Premiership teams this season.

After Linfield and Glentoran's first-round exits and Coleraine's hammering in the second round, Larne's European adventure ended in dramatic fashion.

The Inver Reds had a two-goal advantage following the first leg of their Uefa Conference League play-off, but a disastrous final 10 minutes at Inver Park saw Lincoln Red Imps score twice and Larne reduced to 10 men before the away side netted the winner in the final minute of extra time.

For Gary Haveron's side, the immediate consequences are obvious but, for the Irish League, the repercussions could be felt for years.

BBC Sport NI takes a look at some of the key questions and possible setbacks following Larne's exit.

One of the biggest concerns throughout the qualifying campaign has been Northern Ireland's coefficient ranking and what a poor European return could mean for the number of places available for Irish Premiership clubs.

Currently, the Premiership winners, runners-up, the play-off winners and the Irish Cup victors secure a European qualifying spot.

However, with it now highly likely that the Irish League will lose the fourth place and all the incentives that come with it, it is unclear how the league will readjust.

Irish League supporters may suddenly now find themselves keeping a much closer eye on teams and countries that may not have normally followed such as Georgia's Iberia 1999.

NI currently still sit 50th in the coefficient on 6.625 and if Iberia 1999 are defeated in all six of their Conference League fixtures, Georgia could not leapfrog Northern Ireland in the standings.

They have been drawn against FC Copenhagen, Red Star Belgrade, Getafe, Sint-Truiden, Jablonec and Mjallby AIF.

Liechtenstein will also be of interest next season with their rankings set to fall after their clubs' years of struggling to collect points in European competition.

Another consequence will be that the Irish Cup winners will also now be drawn into the first round of Uefa Conference League, not the second with all implications to come into play in the 2028-29 season.

The potential loss of the fourth European place would also raise questions around the final match of the season, the European play-off.

As things stand, teams who finish between third and seventh compete in a play-off for the final position European position.

However, Northern Ireland Football League [NIFL] chief executive Gerard Lawlor had suggested that if there became three European spots, the play-off may not take place.

"We would need to talk to the clubs about that and have a discussion, but it is probably the most sensible and easy outcome," he said when asked would the play-off be cancelled.

"We will give the club different models, but it is the reality we must adapt to."

However, with the excitement that the play-offs bring, managers such as Larne's Gary Haveron believe they are crucial.

"There are so many dead rubber games at the end of the season and if you are in the bottom half of the table and not involved in the Irish Cup, what is your motivation," Haveron told BBC Sport NI.

"What is the motivation if you cannot chase down seventh place and a European spot?

"The play-off has led to loads of excitement. Do I like being involved in them? No, but I have been involved in two finals, and the drama is absolutely unbelievable."

Had Larne qualified they would have received approximately £2.75 million in participation money for reaching the league stage of the Conference League and that figure could have risen with positive results.

The rest of the Premiership clubs would have benefited as well and received a six-figure solidarity payment.

For Larne, the loss of that revenue is particularly significant. The club will now have to reassess its spending both on the pitch and behind the scenes without the European windfall which they came so close to securing.

However, there is no doubt there will be an impact beyond Inver Park and into the league as well.

When Larne made history by becoming the first team from Northern Ireland to reach the group stages of a European competition, the 11 other Irish League clubs shared a financial windfall of over two million.

That money can make a huge difference from expanding facilities or developing players.

Another Larne run in the league phase could therefore have provided another boost across the Premiership.

Whenever Northern Irish clubs struggle in Europe, the debate over summer football normally returns.

Currently during the qualifiers, clubs from Northern Ireland are out of season, while many clubs are already mid-campaign by the time of July qualifiers.

Earlier in August, Lawlor said he hoped to discuss summer football with clubs before Christmas, with a view to a vote over changing the Irish League calendar as soon as the 2028-29 season.

However, it is an issue which divides opinion and no team from the Republic of Ireland, who play from mid-February to early November, qualified for the group stages of a European competition either this season.

It will take a few years the full implications of the lack of European involvement of teams from Northern Ireland to be felt, but it is clear that something must change to avoid this happening again for seasons to come.