Derry City manager Tiernan Lynch intends to 'stand strong' despite protests and boos from the Brandywell supporters.

What happened?

A 'Lynch Out Now' banner was unfurled by fans in the Brandywell Stadium’s North Stand when Waterford went 3-0 up late in the second half of Friday's demoralising 4-2 loss. Chants of 'It's time to go home' rang around the entire ground as supporters made their feelings clear about the Belfast man who has been firefighting almost the entire campaign, with Derry City currently sitting 2nd in Premier Division with 63 pts, 18W-9D-9L from 36 games, and a recent form of WWWWD.

Why it matters for Derry City

Lynch insists 'time will tell' if he's the right man for the job, but he's certainly not prepared to throw in the towel, with the promise of significant signings in the coming days, including Ellis Chapman from rivals Shelbourne and goalkeeper Tom Norcott on loan from Reading. The team is 3 points behind leaders Shamrock Rovers, and Lynch hopes that new signings will arrive in time for training on Sunday, which could turn the tide, especially with European football around the corner.

What comes next?

Lynch revealed he expects new signings to arrive in time for training on Sunday and hopes strengthening the squad will turn the tide, with the team having scored 52 goals and conceded 39 this season, resulting in a +13 goal difference. The recent form of 5W-0D-0L, including a 0-1 win against Shamrock Rovers on 2026-01-31, has given the team a boost, and Lynch is determined to build on this momentum, with the team on a 5-game winning run.