2020 Season Preview: Finn Harps

Manager: Ollie Horgan

Stadium: Finn Park

Players in: Ryan Connolly (Ballyglass), David Webster (St Patrick’s Athletic), Aidy Delap (Derry City), Shane McEleney (Larne), Karl O’Sullivan (Limerick), Kosovar Sadiki (Hibernian), Shaun Kelly (Limerick), Barry McNamee (Derry City).

Players out: Keith Cowan (Glentoran), Mikey Place (Galway United), Daniel O’Reilly (Shelbourne), Joshua Smith (Galway United), Raffaele Cretaro (Retired), Nathan Boyle (Unattached), Harry Ashcroft (Dandenong Thunder), Colm Deasy (Warrenpoint Town).

Extratime.ie Key Man: Mark McGinley

McGinley returned to the League of Ireland after a four year absence and managed to nail down the starting spot between the posts at Finn Park.

He made his debut in May during last season but he went on to make 19 appearances and keep 9 clean sheets.

The goalkeeper was voted Player of the Season at Finn Harps last season and was nominated for an SSE Airtricity League Player of the Month award.

For a team touted to struggle towards the end of the table limiting the amount of goals the side concedes by having a safe pair of hand in goals will be very important for Ollie Horgan this season.

Extratime.ie One to Watch: Ryan Connolly



Connolly is coming back into the League of Ireland having been absent for a year playing in the Mayo Super League with Ballyglass.

The midfielder has the capability of taking control of games as he showed during his time with Galway United for three seasons in 2014, 2015 and 2016. The 2014 promotion winning season at Eamonn Deacy Park saw Connolly named to the First Division Team of the Year.

A few tough years have followed for the 28 year old, a season with Shamrock Rovers ended in his release and return to the relegated Galway United. His previous form with the club was non-existent this time around and he departed the Tribesmen at the end of that season.

After a year away from the League, he could be an important addition to the Finn Harps squad if he can find his form of seasons past.

How they did last season:

League: 9th



As expected, Harps struggled last year after winning promotion from the First Division in 2018. Just 9 points separated themselves and bottom club UCD to ensure Ollie Horgan’s men managed to avoid the automatic drop but still had to face the playoffs to ensure they stayed in the Premier Division.

The first leg of the playoff final saw Drogheda United take the lead but Harps managed to overturn the deficit when they welcomed the Boynesiders to Finn Park last October.

Mark Russell scored early but it took an extra-time goal from Harry Ascroft to seal Premier Division status in Donegal for at least another season.

FAI Cup: eliminated in round one

Harps were dumped out of the competition early on last season. They travelled to Tallaght Stadium last August to take on eventual FAI Cup Champions Shamrock Rovers, where they lost 1-0.

Daniel Carr scored the only goal of the game to see the Donegal side out of the FAI Cup.

EA Sports Cup: eliminated in quarter-final

Finn Harps didn’t enter the competition until the second round where they took on Sligo Rovers at home in Ballybofey.

Mark Coyle put the home side in front in the closing minutes of the game only for Dante Leverock to equalise one minute before the end of the game.

Stephen Doherty nabbed the winner early into the first half of extra-time to see Harps into the quarter-finals setting up a North-West derby against Derry City.

A score draw at the end of 90 minutes took the sides into extra-time at the Brandywell. David Parkhouse was the man to find the winner,having scored the equaliser for Derry earlier on in the game, to send Harps out of the EA Sports Cup.

What to expect this season:

With Harps being given the longest odds by the bookies the expectation is that they will be lucky to stay in the division.

It looks like a tougher ask for Harps to stay in the division this season compared to last year with a strong looking Shelbourne entering the fray after winning the First Division last year.

The departure of Mikey Place to Galway United will hurt Harps this season but the recent signing of Barry McNamee could send a message to not count Harps out in their quest to stay in the Premier Division.

Aiming for that playoff spot is more than likely Ollie Horgan’s only hope but it will be an extremely tough task for the North-West club in 2020.

 

Title Odds: 225/1

First game: Sligo Rovers (Home).