Tiernan Lynch praises Derry City's mentality after last gasp win

​In the penultimate Brandywell fixture of the season it was the perfect time to return to winning ways at the venue after a five game winless run - the last home victory coming back on July 4th!

Of course the only defeat in that sequence was a penalty shootout loss to Drogheda in the cup but Lynch described Sunday's winning feeling as 'unbelievable'.

"Unbelievable," he smiled. "It was a long week with the game put back another couple of days and having to alter training and the weather all that and I think that probably showed in our performance.

"Again, great credit to this group of players they just wouldn't give up and Mickey Duffy again, I couldn't be more proud of them.

"This has to be our fortress. Obviously the pitch doesn't help us and everybody at the club knows that and there's frustrations there with everyone.

"It's something we're working very hard to try and put right but great credit to them. They don't complain about it, they roll their sleeves up and get on with it and they get their rewards in the end."

The Belfast man admitted he was beginning to think it wasn't going to be his team's night despite enjoying the best of the chances.

"I'll not tell you any lies, yes it definitely went through my head that it was going to be one of those days, getting in good positions and it going over the bar or goalkeeper saving it or running into each other at times but great credit to them and great credit to Mickey Duffy for that last minute winner.

“We'll enjoy tonight. I don't think anyone can question the character of that team. I thought they were outstanding.”

Certainly no one can question this team's character or hunger over the past six weeks having earned 12 points from a possible 18. That run included a late winner in Galway, a second half comeback against St Pats, two late goals in a comeback win over Bohemians at Dalymount Park and a battling draw in Drogheda.

With Shamrock Rovers keeping alive their 'double' hopes, an FAI Cup final win for the Hoops would mean the League of Ireland's Europa League spot would go to the league runners-up.

It's an added incentive for the Candy Stripes who are in pole position with three games to go as Duffy's last gasp header stretched their lead on third placed Bohemians to four points.

However, Lynch isn't counting his chickens just yet with games at Waterford, at home to Shamrock Rovers and away to Cork City to finish his first year in charge.

"Until it's mathematically in the bag it's never nailed on. It's a step towards it and a great three points. It's a gutsy performance. Sligo are fighting for their lives at the moment and I think you saw that in their performance so great credit to our boys but it's three points. They have a couple of days break now and then they'll get ready for Waterford."

After a damaging defeat at the Sligo Showgrounds last July, Lynch felt Derry owed John Russell's team one but the tail end of Storm Amy didn't help matters on the night.

"You probably didn't realise in the stands, it was a very strong wind. We felt the last time we played Sligo we played in front of them and we needed to get in behind them today and make their back four defend. I think we tried but the ball was holding up in the wind and our gameplan first half probably looked like it was all over the show. I think the weather played a factor in that. The boys were doing what we were asking of them but the balls weren't going where we wanted them to go.

“Second half we were very dominant. We got the ball down at the right times. We got our box entries and numbers in the box and I'm delighted with the last minute winner. We created a lot of chances.

"Even in the first half I felt we probably had the best two chances through Adam. Especially the form Adam has been in of late you'd have put your money on him.

"I'm delighted actually with that never say die attitude and going until the 94th minute."

Storm Amy resulted in a 48 hour postponement and Carl Winchester rolled his ankle in the warm-up to further disrupt preparations.

"We were slow. It's strange because little things knock your set up and your structure. When Carl Winchester rolled his ankle in the warmup it kind of threw us a little bit.

"Then we had to tweak the shape early on. We then had to make the change and we just didn't get to grips with it albeit I thought we had the best chances in the first half. In the second half when we had the win we were a lot more dominant.”

No one could argue Derry didn't do enough to win the game with Adam O'Reilly uncharacteristically wasteful in front of goal in the first half. Goalkeeper Sam Sargeant produced two top drawer saves to deny Duffy and Sean Stewart a magnificent last ditch block to deny Danny Mullen.

Having signed a new contract on Monday it was a fitting end to the week for Derry's talisman, Duffy who stretched his goals tally to 11 with a close range header from Robbie Benson's cross on 94 minutes.

"Credit to the lad. Listen, one player doesn't win you games but that's a lad there that is very, very close," added Lynch.

"He ran himself into the ground today. He's not even sure how he jumped to get that header, he had absolutely nothing left out there. So great credit to Mickey and great credit to the club for getting it [new deal] done and great credit to everyone involved."