WATCH: Limerick's Lee Lynch is Man of the Match as Larne FC boost European hopes

LIMERICK midfielder Lee Lynch turned in a Man of the Match display and bagged a brace of goals as Larne FC boosted their hopes of securing a European place with victory over Carrick Rangers in the Irish Premiership.

Lynch's double strike, with both goals coming in the opening half, helped Larne seal an impressive 3-0 derby win at a sun-kissed Inver Park on Saturday.

Larne continued their good run of form on Tuesday night when edging out Portadown 2-1 in the Irish Premiership at Shamrock Park.

That success saw Larne move to within a point of Glentoran in third place in the Irish Premiership table.

Lee Lynch joined Northern Ireland Football League side Larne in January 2019, helping the club earn promotion from the Championship that season.

The club finished sixth in last year's curtailed campaign.

Come back to us if you’ve seen a better touch and controlled finish over the weekend...we’ll wait

, Lee Lynch #WeAreLarne #BeTheDifference pic.twitter.com/XOdbrEeGGT

— Larne Football Club (@larnefc) April 5, 2021

Lynch arrived at Larne’s FC Inver Park, having spent the second half of the 2018 season at Sligo Rovers.

Former Regional Utd schoolboy Lynch left Limerick FC before the start of the previous season having re-signed for the Blues in July 2015. The midfielder initially joined American club FC Arizona in the National Premier Soccer League, before switching to Sligo Rovers during the summer.

We were going to do a Twitter poll for today’s Man of The Match but there isn’t any need

#WeAreLarne #BeTheDifference pic.twitter.com/KbVZrO74W8

— Larne Football Club (@larnefc) April 3, 2021

Lynch holds a First Division winners medal with Limerick from 2016 and also won the 2014 FAI Presidents Cup with St Pat’s and the Premier Division title and FAI Cup with Sligo Rovers in 2012 and 2013. He also spent time cross-channel at West Bromwich Albion earlier in his career.

Lynch has also been capped for the Republic of Ireland at under-17, under-18 and under-19 level, having also played in England with West Brom.

Larne host league leaders Linfield on Saturday.