Tiernan Lynch hails Larne super-sub Joe Thomson after brace helps secure victory at Newry City

​Adam Salley handed Newry a deserved lead in the 57th minute and things went from bad to worse for the visitors when substitute Ilijah Paul was shown a straight red card, but the ever-reliable Thomson showed his class to turn the match around.

The 26-year-old netted an 80th minute equaliser and shortly after put the defending champions ahead as they leapfrogged Crusaders into third spot.

"There has been a lot of talk about young Dylan (Sloan), how well he has done and rightly so he's playing every week in the team,” Lynch told the club’s media channel. “Joe has had to be very patient.

"The one thing about Joe is that his work ethic every single day is phenomenal. His desire to win is phenomenal.

"He could have easily huffed and puffed, but he doesn't.

"He's a great character around the place and he has things like that in his locker."

Lynch also hailed the impact of Larne’s travelling support at the Showgrounds as they helped drag their team over the line on a difficult evening.

"I think we know it wasn't a great performance for large parts, but the one thing we have to concentrate on is the character that team showed out there,” he added. “They were probably on their knees but they rolled their sleeves up, grabbed the game by the scruff of the neck and nights like this and performances like that will stand by them.

"I can't praise them more or give them more credit.

"Nights like this hopefully spur you on to go and do greater things.

"I do have to talk about our fans tonight.

"The numbers that were here, they got behind us and it would have been easy to turn on the team tonight with being a goal and man down, but they did the opposite. Great credit to them for that.

"Whether they know it or not, it gives the team a real lift.

"On behalf of all the players, thank you to them.”