Tiernan Lynch striving to bring more trophies to Larne after historic title success

The Inver Reds got their hands on the league title on Friday night after playing out a 1-1 draw against Linfield in front of a sold out crowd.

After Larne were bought over by businessman Kenny Bruce in 2017, the east Antrim side have got promoted from the Championship to win the biggest prize under Lynch’s tutelage.

The club have also lifted the County Antrim Shield on three occasions during that time frame with Lynch hoping to bring more glory back to Inver Park in the coming years.

"Kenny Bruce put a target on my back after about a week when he stood on TV and said 'he's an open cheque book and we want to hear Champions League music here'!

"But joking aside that's why we're here, we want to be challenging for trophies.

"I'm not going to be stupid enough to say we're going to do X, Y or Z, but I am going to say that please God this club is now going to stay at this top table.

"We want to challenge. Whether we're good enough to win it each year that's something to see as there are so many good teams and big clubs.

"When I come into the town now and stop at the shop or petrol station it takes me 20 minutes to get out of it.

"It just sums up how passionate the people of Larne are about their town and their football club.

"I couldn't be more proud to be part of this club."

Larne’s title party on Friday night helped Lynch recap his journey in the dugout as he recalls arriving at Inver Park to a closed ground when he first took over six years ago.

"It absolutely felt as good as I hoped it would and more,” he added.

"It has been six years of hard work.

"This is an unbelievable club, it's very family-orientated and I think that is shining through right now.

"I've had a lot of 'pinch me' moments in the last six years.

"When myself and Seamus first walked in the doors the ground was actually closed.

"There was a six foot drop from one end of the pitch to the other.

"As it's been developing and getting better there have been a lot of special moments but Friday night was the pinnacle of all of that.”

Despite securing the title before Friday’s draw against Linfield, Lynch remarked that there was no chance his players would take their foot off the gas.

"I wasn't prepared to down tools after the title was secured,” he continued.

"As far as I'm concerned the league isn't over and the league deserves that respect.

"We went into the Linfield game wanting to win it.

"Glentoran, Cliftonville and all the teams that are jockeying for places deserve that.

"I also tried to create a situation that when you pull that shirt over your head it doesn't matter who you are playing it has to mean something.

"We have to build a culture that we want to try and do this again and again.”