Larne boss Tiernan Lynch claims side showed Shamrock Rovers ‘too much respect’

Andrew Dempsey reports from Windsor Park

Tiernan Lynch and his Larne side may be newcomers to this stage of European football - but even he could not hide his disgust at the manner of their Conference League defeat to Shamrock Rovers.

The Inver Reds - who must play their home games at Windsor Park due to Uefa regulations - were outclassed by the Hoops on Thursday evening in a sobering 4-1 loss.

Chris Gallagher scored their only goal as Graham Burke ran riot for the visitors with a brace. Johnny Kenny and Josh Honohan also found the net.

“It was very difficult,” a desolate Lynch said during his post-match press conference. “I thought we showed Shamrock Rovers far too much respect.

“Tonight's game was lost in twenty minutes, and it was probably lost in the things that we didn't do – set pieces and the goals we conceded, starting after two minutes.

“We have to face that and we have to work on it to try and put it right.

“For 45 minutes we didn't get near them, we didn't get close enough to them, we stood off them and let them pop the ball around.”

Shamrock Rovers were backed by 1,600 fans in Belfast and they enjoyed every minute of their trip across the border.

Larne, however, wanted it to end as soon as it started.

“We let them get into a bit of a party mode with the goals we conceded as early as we conceded them, then it was always going to be an uphill battle,” Lynch added.

“We had a conversation at half-time as a group and we came out in the second-half, got our goal and we wanted to be different in how we approached it.

“Then, we gave away another completely soft goal and that put us on the back foot again. I don't think tonight is a night for excuses.

“We can talk about not handling the occasion but when you concede the goals we conceded from second phases or set-pieces, I don't think the occasion has anything to do with it.

“Tonight's a night for looking at yourself in the mirror - me included - I think that's what this has to be about.”

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