Our History With Harps

by Brian Kennedy

(first published in the September 2011 Finn Harps match programme)

For many Blues fans, Finn Park is the holy grail of travels each season. A 400-plus mile round journey will test the absolute limit of a true fan’s dedication – especially if you’ve been there once already this season and seen your side lose.

Finn Park has been the home of the men from Ballybofey for over 50 years now. One of few teams to have spent over half a century at the same ground, Finn Harps were founded in 1954 but only entered the League of Ireland in 1969. Former FAI President Fran Fields and the charismatic (and I’ll admit outspoken) Patsy McGowan were the spearheads behind the club clinching League of Ireland status, which they did after successfully lobbying each of the 10 other teams in the League, and gaining entry with Athlone Town for the 1969/70 season.

In Donegal circles, Harps’ first game is the stuff of legend. Playing Shamrock Rovers in a Dublin City Cup game, the men from Ballybofey were absolutely hammered 10-2 by a Rovers side still in their pomp with players like Mick Leech, Frank O’Neill, Tommy Kinsella and Mick Smyth. There might well have been a few League of Ireland directors who thought “What in the name of Christ have we done” to themselves. Had this step up been too much for the boys from Ballybofey? Would they be a total laughing stock all season? Had they made a huge mistake by approving their application?

“I vividly remember after being beaten 10-2 we were told by all the press that we wouldn’t last a season. I replied in the press conference by saying “Not only will we last the season boys, we’ll be in Europe in four years” . There was an uproar of laughter in the room  but I said “I’ll put the smile on the other side of your faces.” And that’s exactly what I did!” – Patsy McGowan

As it turns out Patsy McGowan and the boys did just fine. Amazingly after the Rovers defeat Finn Harps would go undefeated at home until the very last home game of the season and come away a very creditable seventh.

McGowan had brought the club their first piece of silverware via the Dublin City Cup in 1971/72 but added to it in 1974 by winning the FAI Cup that season. He did it with players that have gone down in the club’s folklore: Charlie Ferry, Jim Sheridan, Terry Harkin and one Brendan Bradley.

In the history of the game in Ireland Bradley is not only the greatest striker the League has ever produced but one of its most humble. With 235 strikes to his name, the softly spoken Derryman is 50 goals clear of his nearest rival – Pat Morley on 182 – and scored two in the ’74 final to clinch the Blue Riband for the Northerners. Having interviewed Brendan several times for my new League of Ireland book I couldn’t get over how shy, unassuming and modest the big man was about his achievements (amazingly he only ever made 3 Ireland XI appearances) given his standing in the history of the game. The best player never to be capped at full Republic of Ireland international level? – without a doubt.

Many older Blues fans will remember the almighty fight McGowan’s men put up with the Blues during the 1972/73 season – our last League of Ireland title. Harps started like a house on fire, winning nine of their first ten games, beating defending champions Waterford over Christmas in 1972 in a 3-2 thriller. By April, Shay Brennan’s Blues had managed to regain top spot and in the penultimate game faced the Ballybofey men in Finn Park, needing just a point to take the title, however Harps produced another wonderful 90 minutes to win 3-2 with goals from Bradley, Nichol and Smith. Alas for Finn Harps, Waterford would still take the title by beating an understrength Cork Hibernians side in the final game (a fact that still rankles with Patsy that the Corkmen had fielded a side shorn of several top players).

The club experienced European campaigns against the likes of Bursaspor and Aberdeen, but really came a cropper when drawn against Derby County in the 1976/77 UEFA Cup when Brian Clough’s men put 14 past goalkeeper Gerry Murray without reply. This lead to Patsy half-time team talk which was basically: “Lads go out and enjoy the second half!” They were 9-0 down at the time!

Harps have also lost to Waterford in the League Cup on two occasions. When the Cup (which replaced the League of Ireland Shield) was first captured by the Blues it was via a 2-1 win on the 25th of October 1973 to deny the Northerners, and on the 18th of April 1985 goals from Morley and Bennett clinched victory (this time at Kilcohan Park) to give the Suirsiders the Cup for a second time. Fran Fields was President of the FAI at the time so it must have hurt handing the trophy over to Kevin Power that wet and windy afternoon (I remember it like it was yesterday!) For the Harps fans here tonight can you remember who scored your goal that day to put you ahead? Answer at the end of the page.

The club have suffered in more recent times from dwindling attendances and financial  problems, like many others, though they’ve had their successes too. Under Felix Healy the club won the 2004 First Division Championship – their first ever League title, and who can forget their successful promotion again in 2007 – beating Gareth Cronin’s Blues (with that now infamous first leg involved!)

The club kicked off their 32nd season of unbroken League of Ireland football in March of this year and have already accounted for us 1-0 in June at Finn Park, a ground certainly in need of a lick of paint, not that the club will be rushing out to buy several tins of Dulux – Harps will be moving into their new 6,600 all seated ground at Stranorlar in 2013.
And that player from the 1985 final – Ian Arkwright.

(excerpts taken from Just Follow The Floodlights – the complete history of the League of Ireland, by Brian Kennedy, available October 2011)