Larne's historic European debut ended in defeat as Molde ran out 3-0 winners in the Uefa Conference League.

Tiernan Lynch's side were making history by becoming the first Irish Premiership team to play in the league stage of European competition.

It has been a remarkable rise for Larne, who were playing in the second tier in Northern Ireland five years ago and have built to become-back-to-back Irish Premiership champions.

Larne produced a strong opening 45 minutes on their European debut in Norway and frustrated Molde, who reached the last-16 of the Conference League last season.

However, their resolve was broken in the 51st minute when Molde captain Magnus Wolff Eikrem fired into the top corner from Kristian Eriksen's cut back.

Larne settled and showed more ambition as the game progressed, but Ola Brynhildsen got Molde's second with 12 minutes to play when Shaun Want's attempted tackle fell into the path of the forward, who kept his composure to curl an effort into the bottom corner.

There was a late blow for Larne when substitute Conor McKendry was shown a straight red card for a cynical tackle on Isak Amundsen, and the hosts capitalised when Frederik Ihler slotted home with the final kick of the game.

While Larne leave Norway empty handed, Lynch's call for his players to show they belong at this level were answered and they can take confidence from their European debut.

Lynch said he would feel huge amounts of pride as his players walked out on the pitch at the Aker Stadion to make history, and that feeling will only have been enhanced after a strong and disciplined opening 45 minutes.

It was a solid start to life in Europe for the underdogs, who restricted Molde to half chances as Larne held their shape and frustrated the hosts.

Molde did fire an early warning shot as the lively Brynhildsen dragged an effort off target and Amundsen headed harmlessly wide from a set piece.

The hosts' best attempt fell to Brynhildsen midway through the half, but Rohan Ferguson got a hand on his weak effort and Want hammered the ball away from danger.

As expected, Larne were pegged back in their own half for the majority of the match, and their only forays forward failed to find the clinical pass to create a chance.

Eikrem tried to catch out Ferguson with a 30-yard free-kick, but it was the travelling Larne fans, who arrived in Norway on a chartered flight to witness their side make history, who were the happiest set of supporters at half-time.

Molde came out of the blocks in the second half and almost took the lead two minutes after the restart after some neat link up play around the area, and Ferguson had to be alert to hack away the danger.

Larne had their first opportunity moments later when George Marsh blocked a Molde clearance and tried to set up Andy Ryan, but the striker, who scored a hat-trick in the play-off to fire his side to history, rushed his volley and it was well wide.

The hosts looked like a different team from the restart and took the lead when Eikrem fired into the top corner from Eriksen's cut back.

Larne looked to venture forward more after the opener and Sean Graham curled an effort straight at Albert Posiadala from the edge of the area, and the visitors had a huge let off when Brynhildsen blazed a volley over the bar from six yards.

Eikrem was the man making things happen and his powerful drive was tipped over by Ferguson, before Brynhildsen secured the win when he got a lucky bounce of the ball off Want, cut inside and curled an effort into the bottom corner.

Substitute Ihler struck the post for Molde in the closing stages, and Levi Ives had to scramble the ball off the line moments later as the hosts pressed for a third.

McKendry was dismissed in injury time for a wild hack on Amundsen and Ihler capitalised with a close-range finish in the final kick of the game.

Larne will have to reset when they face Dungannon Swifts on Sunday, and their next European fixture is at home to League of Ireland side Shamrock Rovers on 24 October.