Tiernan Lynch left frustrated at ‘stupid goals’ in Larne victory

Portadown manager Matthew Tipton was adamant Lee Lynch’s finish should have been ruled out, in a moment which ultimately settled affairs at Shamrock Park, with Larne boss Tiernan Lynch in agreement with the call by referee Lee Tavinder.

However, what could be considered surprising was the level of frustration from winning manager Lynch and measure of encouragement from losing boss Tipton after the 3-2 tussle.

Larne raced clear by 2-0 thanks to first-half goals from Dean Jarvis and Mark Randall before the Ports cut the gap off Ruairi Croskery to spark the hosts into life, drawing praise from Tipton for disrupting the grip previously enjoyed by Lynch’s side.

Lynch slotted home an injury-time third, after Harry Doherty’s initial save off a Thomas Olumwa shot, with Portadown protests for an offside flag adding to the temperature of a feisty second half before Greg Hall forced in the final goal.

“We were very good in the first half but didn’t do ourselves any justice in the second,” said Lynch. “We conceded two stupid goals but will look back on it, work and aim to put it right in training.

“The second half (when frantic) probably allows other teams to do what Portadown did on us and we probably let it.

“We try to dominate games and in the first half we were comfortable and limited Portadown to very little but that wasn’t the case in the second half.

“We stopped keeping it simple and making them work so let them into the game.

“You expect a response from the opposition at 2-0 down but we cannot control the other team, only what we do.

“The whole changing room is disappointed with our second half - but there’s also an element of not playing well and getting three points.

“I think we were so comfortable at 2-0 up so probably need to learn to turn the screw.

“We didn’t, we stopped dominating the game...so we learn from it and go again.”

Larne entered the domestic campaign bolstered by a landmark summer taste of European football for the first time in club history.

“Your preparation for Europe is very different to your preparation for Irish League football, it’s a work-in-progress so as long as you keep winning we will be happy,” said Lynch. “So it’s about switching those gears but it will take time.

“It’s two games and six points...if someone had offered us two poor performances and no points or two good performances and zero points you’d have taken the six.”

PORTADOWN: Doherty, Hall, McCallum, Salley (Warde, 55), Bonis, Jackson (Finnegan, 73), Conaty, Kerr, Croskery, Teggart, McLeod.

Subs (not used): Tipton, Barr, Glenfield

LARNE: Ferguson (Argyrides, 68), Cosgrove, Watson, Bolger, Jarvis, Mitchell, Randall (Scott, 76), Lynch, Doherty, Hale (Oluwa, 80), Nasseri

Subs (not used): Greer, Adair, Aretzis, Donnelly

REFEREE: Lee Tavinder

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