Next Larne boss must 'build on foundations laid' - Bruce

Larne owner Kenny Bruce says the club are already looking forward to the "next chapter" following Tiernan Lynch's departure to take over at Derry City.

Lynch spent seven years at Inver Park, winning back-to-back Irish Premiership titles and guiding the club into the Uefa Conference League before moving to the Candystripes on a three-year deal.

And Bruce was keen to reflect on an "amazing journey" during Lynch's tenure.

"I’m glad it has ended in the way that it has, there is no resignation or termination it ended on great terms," Bruce told BBC Sport NI.

"The whole legacy was really important for both of us and to look back on the nearly eight years it’s been and how successful we have been as a partnership it bodes well for the future."

Lynch the 'catalyst' behind Larne's rise

Lynch will take charge of Larne for the final time against Institute on Tuesday night

Larne were languishing near the bottom of the second-tier Championship when Lynch arrived in 2017, with Bruce investing in the club a couple of months later.

Since then, Lynch has overseen a remarkable rise to the top of the Irish Premiership and into Europe and Bruce believes he deserves great credit for the work he has done.

"Everything on the field he has been the catalyst for delivering that and he has done an amazing job," Bruce continued.

"This club looking for a new management team today is very different to the environment Tiernan and [his brother] Seamus walked into seven and a half years ago."

Bruce also explained the decision to have Lynch take charge of Larne for the final time on Tuesday night in a BetMcLean League Cup tie against Institute which will coincidently be played at Derry's Brandywell Stadium.

"It's hugely appropriate [for Lynch and his coaching staff to take charge] they are very professional people, and they will try to win and get us into the quarter-final of the League Cup.

"It was appropriate they got the opportunity to say goodbye to the Larne players and fans."

'It's a really attractive role'

Gary Haveron [left] who was part of Lynch's coaching team will take interim charge of Larne alongside Andrew Mitchell

Lynch previously rejected an approach from Scottish Premiership side St Johnstone to take over as their manager in September.

And Bruce conceded that it was always going to be a matter of when not if Lynch would depart after Larne became the first club from Northern Ireland to reach the league or group phase of a European competition.

"It was always going to be the start of the end, you were always going to get a lot of attraction and that came from a number of clubs in the last few months," he explained.

"It’s the right opportunity for Tiernan at this stage and we endorse that and look forward to the next chapter."

Bruce confirmed that Gary Haveron and Andrew Mitchell will take charge for Larne's Irish Premiership game against Ballymena United on Saturday.

And he says they won't "rush" into appointing a new permanent manager until they find the right fit.

"We understand what good looks like, and we’ll do our due diligence because we want someone who sees Larne for the next five years as being a real future for them," he said.

"It’s a really attractive role with the legacy Tiernan has created. We believe we will get the right candidate in who will work hard to build on the foundations laid.

"We started the process yesterday [Monday] and we will see where that takes us in the next few weeks."