Larne will travel to Kosovo next week for the second leg
Larne and Prishtina played out a goalless draw in the first leg of their Uefa Conference League second qualifying round tie.
Played at the Ballymena Showgrounds after Larne's Inver Park ground failed a Fifa Pro Standard pitch test, the game was one of few chances but the Kosovan visitors had two opportunities cleared off the line.
After home keeper Rohan Ferguson twice denied Leutrim Kryeziu in quick succession with 23 minutes remaining, Gjelbrim Taipi looked set to tap home the rebound but Ryan Nolan got back to make a crucial block.
The former Hercules defender was then in the right place at the right time again as he nodded Akileu Ndreca's effort off the line.
In an occasionally bad-tempered game, each side had three players booked, while Prishtina manager Arsim Thaqi also shown a yellow card.
The flurry of cards either side of the break had livened up a game where the best opportunities of the opening half saw Dylan Sloan thwarted by visiting keeper Ardit Nika after only 11 minutes, before Blendi Baftiu could only direct his header straight at Ferguson at the other end.
The stalemate leaves the tie finely poised for the return in Prishtina on Thursday, 31 July, with Portuguese side CD Santa Clara and Croatian outfit NK Varazdin awaiting the winners.
Larne reached the league phase of the competition last season under former boss Tiernan Lynch and secured a memorable win over Gent at Windsor Park.
That, though, was via the champions path through qualifying.
After finishing second to Linfield in the Irish Premiership last season, the Inver Reds entered in the first qualifying round this time around and advanced to this stage thanks to a penalty shootout victory over FK Auda of Latvia.
