Lynch aiming to bring good days back to Showgrounds
THE last time Lee Lynch was named on a Sligo Rovers team sheet was in the hours leading up to the 2013 FAI Cup Final. Although an unused substitute, he left Lansdowne Road that day with a winner’s medal following the most dramatic finish.
Quite a bit has changed at the Showgrounds in the five or so years which have passed. He was 19 when he arrived from Drogheda United in 2012 and went on to claim league and cup honours. He returns at 26, more experienced having signed a deal which sees him return until the end of the season at least.
Ger Lyttle had tried to sign Lee at the end of last season and after turning down recent offers from the US, Croatia and other League of Ireland clubs, the midfielder decided to return to familiar surroundings.
“My family loves Sligo”, he says. “I was here for a two and a half years and I knew it would be easy to settle back here. Knowing Ger, the players, their style and the fans, it felt comfortable for me.
“I have amazing memories here that I’ll always remember and they were great times. They’re not here right now but everyone knows how big Rovers are and I want to be part of it, help the squad and do well for myself.”
Lynch left the Bit O’Red after that cup final for St Pat’s, before signing on his home town club Limerick. He spent the best of four years at home bar a three month stint at Scottish side Hamilton.
His last club was Arizona FC, who were members of the NASL league which lost its division two status recently. The situation over there remains static meaning many of the club’s players were forced to move on.
Lynch’s Rovers return means that there are now three players in the current squad who were part of the 2012 league winning side. Lynch, Raff Cretaro and David Cawley. Back then, Lynch was vying for a position alongside the likes of Joseph Ndo and Seamus Conneely.
Today, his battle to secure a regular starting berth will be just as tough, but this time he will be seen as one of the more experienced players.
“I was 19 when I signed first, now I’m 26. So myself and Dave were kids when we were here first and now we’re the more experienced heads.
“As you play more games and play in bigger games you gain more experience. I benefited from playing alongside the likes of Paul O’Conor, Bastien Hery and Shane Duggan since so I think I have a lot to give in terms of what I’ve learned.”
Lynch featured in the Limerick side which almost completed the great escape in 2015. Their late season form hoisting them from bottom of the table to the play-off position. A pulsating last day win over Rovers at the Showgrounds saw them through to a double date with Finn Harps. The journey was to end in tears however as Harps bettered the Blues over two legs.
Rovers’ patchy form to date means Lynch arrives at a time where supporters are anxious. But he feels his experience with Limerick can be of benefit.
He also believes Rovers have what it takes to move away from the trap door.
He continues: “Limerick had a big budget that year. We weren’t meant to be there but we were and we had to dig in and go into every game trying to get three points instead of one.
“You’re going out knowing you have to get three points because one just isn’t enough. We are where we are at the moment but we’ve the players here to get out of where we are with that rub of the green.”