Plunkett match-winner Jody Lynch was proud of the heart on show at Lenadoon on Saturday as the hosts hit back from last week at Wellington Rec with a massive win over title rivals Holywood.
It was only a second league defeat of the season for the 1C leaders, and the perfect response from Plunkett having crashed to a damaging defeat at Brookvale seven days earlier.
Restored to the starting line-up at the weekend, Lynch repaid that faith with a brace in a hard-fought 2-1 win.
And he admits he was delighted at how everyone stood up to the challenge posed by the visitors.
“We knew exactly what Holywood are about, they have a couple of big, physical players but we’d a game plan and every player bought into it,” explained Lynch.
“We worked hard on Tuesday and Thursday, everyone knew what their job was.
“Obviously last week, we were hurt coming away from Welly Rec with a defeat.
“But we didn’t sulk, we got in on Tuesday, regrouped, and we knew exactly what they were going to throw at us.
“I thought defensively, everyone was brilliant, on and off the ball, and our two centre halfs didn’t give their big man up front a sniff.”
Five points off the top with six to go, Lynch knows there’s little margin for error as Plunkett go hunting the title.
“The Holywoods and the likes of Woodvale and Greenisland, they are must-win games for us now,” added the Plunkett midfielder.
“We’re at the stage of the season now where everything is a must-win. We can only control what we can control as the managers keep telling us, so it was big yesterday to go and get the win against Holywood.
“I got the goals but every player stepped up to the mark and played their part and everyone should be proud because they are a good side.
“It’s so tight at the top, we’re sitting fourth and teams above us all have to play each other so there are points going to be dropped somewhere.
“From now to the end of the season, every game is a cup final.”
On his own display, after a frustrating, interrupted season on a personal front, the former Cliftonville ace was delighted to help get his club back on track.
“It’s been a roller-coaster season for me, I’ve had injuries, Covid, suspensions and whatever else, I haven’t played as much as I would love to play,” said Lynch.
“But our squad is outstanding right through the first and second team, there’s boys knocking on the door every week and to be honest, I came off the bench last week and got 20 minutes and we were all hurting.
“So to get the full 90 yesterday was brilliant and I left everything I had on the pitch, and the two goals just added to it for me, and we’re happy enough to move forward.”
