Tiernan Lynch concedes Irish League 'behind' League of Ireland but feels Larne will be stronger for European experience

In what was the most anticipated clash of Larne’s European campaign, the Inver Reds hosted Rovers at Windsor Park and were blown away by a side that had won four consecutive league titles before recently being dethroned by Damien Duff’s Shelbourne.

While Lynch’s men became the first Premiership side to progress into the group stages of a European competition this summer, Dublin-based Rovers created history of their own back in 2011/12 when they qualified for the Europa League under the leadership of current Northern Ireland boss Michael O’Neill.

They ultimately lost all six games in Group A which included PAOK, Rubin Kazan and Premier League giants Tottenham Hotspur, conceding 19 goals in the process, but have used that progression as a platform over the past decade.

Current manager Stephen Bradley has now successfully led them into the Conference League twice and they’re well-placed to potentially secure a play-off spot this term in the revamped competition.

Their comfortable 4-1 success in Belfast left many debating the gulf in quality between the respective leagues, but Lynch feels Larne will be better for this maiden European voyage.

"I am our league's biggest advocate,” he said. “I definitely scream from the rooftops about our league and how much it has progressed over the past number of years.

"There has been a huge amount of progression, but I do feel we are behind the League of Ireland. I won't sit here and tell lies.

"If you look at that Rovers game, and this is no disrespect to our group or team, but the quality Rovers had on the pitch compared to us in certain areas, we do have a bit to go.

"Physically, athletically, professionally, I feel we have a fair bit to do. I also feel a huge part of football is learning from mistakes.

"I think we were hugely disappointed as a team (after the loss). We felt we let ourselves down and we let an element of football in Northern Ireland down in a sense that we are better than what we showed on the night.

"I had a conversation with Stephen Bradley and talked about how we are where Rovers were several years ago when they lost all of their games on their debut European campaign. So this is something we will be stronger for.

"Even as a group, the lead-up to the Rovers game and the hype, there were times in the training sessions when we had three or four cameras, and once it was all done we went into the training centre on Saturday morning and it was just us.

"That up and down is something we have to get better at and get used to. Something we have to be more resilient with in our own minds. This group will embrace that."

Larne will be hoping to spring a shock on Swiss outfit St Gallen, who are also winless across their first two games after losing 6-2 to Cercle Brugge and 4-2 at home against Italian giants Fiorentina, at Windsor Park tonight.

"They're a very good side,” added Lynch. “We've watched them a lot now over the last week and they're going to be extremely difficult.

"We just need to be organised and compact. We took great heart from the Molde game - I thought for 57 minutes we were outstanding to a man. If we can take that 57 minutes into the game and try to build on that, that's the plan."