Coleraine star Lee Lynch salutes former club Larne as he eyes European prize

The Invermen’s title-winning party preparations are in full swing after their draw at Linfield saw them place one hand firmly on the Gibson Cup.

Three points ahead of the Blues and with a superior goal difference of 17, Tiernan Lynch’s side feel that it’s mission accomplished, however they will be keen to avoid defeat to Oran Kearney’s men while Linfield take on Cliftonville at Windsor Park.

The Bannsiders are gearing up for the European Play-Offs after a challenging 2023/24 season saw them cling on to a top-six place.

Lynch spent three and a half seasons at Inver Park where he helped the east Antrim side win the NIFL Championship and County Antrim Shield twice, as well as appearing in the Europa Conference League.

“It’s an amazing time for Larne; to win the League once is brilliant, but to do it back-to-back is a real statement,” said the Limerick man.

“It’s great for the hardworking people at the club. Everyone knows the story of Larne, and the Linfield game was an unbelievable match to watch.

“I thought it was a fantastic game between two top sides, and Larne now feel they have got it over the line.

“It would be a massive swing if Linfield were to pinch it now, but you focus on your own jobs in this game, and we want to keep our spirits high.

“We always want to give a good account of ourselves and play well.

“We still have a shot at European football, and hopefully, we can bring momentum into those Play-Off games. That will be our mindset.

“Larne and Linfield are raising the bar, and you want the League to get stronger, and it brings better players to the game.

“Hopefully, teams can do well in Europe, and every team is striving to make improvements.

“It’s an exciting time for the fans.

“There will always be clubs with bigger budgets, but it’s up to everyone to try to keep pace and do what is right for them.”

Lynch, who had a spell with FC Arizona in the United States, is relieved that Coleraine are going into the Play-Offs with fresh belief after a rocky 2023/24 campaign.

“We definitely needed to pick up form towards the end of the season, and we now have no fear going into the Play-Offs, we can give it a right good go,” said the former Sligo Rovers man.

“Our form has brought the group together. It’s looking like a trip to Glentoran, which will be a big test for us.

“I think any of the sides in the Play-Offs will have belief. I won two of them with Larne, and we lost against Cliftonville with Coleraine, but it can end up being a great end to the season.

“It’s extremely tough with a Semi-Final and Final, but you hope the team performs and you get your tactics right.

“Young Alfie Gaston played brilliantly against Linfield, and there’s a good group of young players coming through. They have been training with us for several months and have made good progress.

“Some of the young lads are involved in the Northern Ireland set-up, and it’s great for them and the club.

“There are ups and downs in football, and you are always learning. We should stick together as a group and make sure the difficult period we had earlier in the season is not repeated.

“Experiences, good and bad, make you stronger, and we have finished the campaign with some good performances.”