Finn Harps F.C. facts for kids
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| Full name | Finn Harps Football Club | |||
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| Nickname(s) | The Harps | |||
| Short name | Finn Harps | |||
| Founded | 1954 | |||
| Ground | Finn Park, Ballybofey, County Donegal |
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| Capacity | 4,458 (351 seated) | |||
| Owner | Finn Harps Co-operative Society | |||
| Chairman | Ian Harkin | |||
| Manager | Darren Murphy | |||
| League | League of Ireland First Division | |||
| 2024 | League of Ireland First Division, 6th of 10 | |||
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Finn Harps Football Club (which is Cumann Peile Chláirsigh na Finne in Irish) is an Irish football team. They play in the League of Ireland First Division. The club started in 1954 and joined the league in 1969.
Finn Harps comes from Ballybofey in County Donegal. Their home games are played at Finn Park. The team's colors are blue and white, and their nickname is "The Harps."
Some of their biggest wins include the FAI Cup in 1973–74. They also won the First Division title in 2004. Finn Harps has a big local rivalry with Derry City. Their games are called the Northwest Derby.
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About Finn Harps Football Club
How Finn Harps Started
Finn Harps began in 1954 as a junior club. The club's name comes from two things: the River Finn, which flows through Ballybofey, and the harp, a classic Irish symbol.
They first became well-known when they won the 1968 FAI Junior Cup. This win allowed them to join the League of Ireland in May 1969. Their first senior game was on August 17, 1969, against Shamrock Rovers. Even though they lost that first game, Finn Harps quickly became a strong team in the 1970s.
The Successful 1970s
The 1970s were a great time for Finn Harps. They won their first senior trophy, the Dublin City Cup, in 1971–72. This was a big moment for the club.
Two years later, in 1974, they won their first and only FAI Cup. This was a huge achievement for the team. Finn Harps also played in European competitions four times in the 1970s. They played in the UEFA Cup three times and the European Cup Winners' Cup once. Throughout this decade, the club always finished in the top half of the league. They were known for playing exciting, attacking football.
Ups and Downs: 1980s to Early 2000s
The 1980s saw Finn Harps struggle more. They were relegated to the new First Division in 1985. The club tried different managers to improve. By the early 1990s, things started to look better.
In 1995–96, Finn Harps finally won promotion back to the top division. This ended their 11 years in the First Division. To make sure the club was run by its supporters, it became a co-operative society. This meant fans could buy shares and help own the club.
In 1998–99, Finn Harps had a very good season. They finished fourth in the Premier Division, just missing out on playing in Europe. They also reached the 1999 FAI Cup Final but lost after several replays. After this, the club faced some financial problems and was relegated back to the First Division.
The "Yo-Yo" Years: Moving Between Divisions
For many years, Finn Harps became known as a "yo-yo club." This means they often moved between the top division (Premier Division) and the second division (First Division). They would get promoted, then relegated, and then promoted again.
In 2004, the club celebrated its 50th birthday. That year, under manager Felix Healy, Finn Harps won the First Division title. This finally brought them back to the Premier Division. However, they were relegated again the next season.
The club continued to fight for promotion. In 2007, they won promotion to the Premier Division after a thrilling play-off. But in 2008, they were relegated once more on the very last day of the season.
The Ollie Horgan Era
In 2013, Ollie Horgan became the new manager. He brought a lot of success to the club. In 2015, Finn Harps won promotion to the League of Ireland Premier Division after a big play-off win against Limerick.
They managed to stay in the Premier Division in 2016. However, they were relegated again in 2017. But they bounced back quickly, winning promotion again in 2018.
In 2019 and 2020, Harps fought hard to stay in the Premier Division, which they did. The 2021 season started well, with a historic away win against Derry City. Ollie Horgan left the club at the end of the 2022 season, and Finn Harps was relegated from the Premier Division. He had led the team for six out of seven seasons in the top league.
New Beginnings with Darren Murphy
After Ollie Horgan, Dave Rogers became the new manager in December 2022. Darren Murphy joined as his assistant. After a tough 2023 season, Dave Rogers left, and Darren Murphy became the interim manager.
On November 3, 2023, Darren Murphy was officially named the Head Coach. Under his leadership, the team started the 2024 season well. They even reached second place early on, but they just missed out on the play-off spots.
Finn Park: The Home Stadium
Finn Harps plays their home games at Finn Park in Ballybofey, County Donegal. The stadium has open terraces around the pitch. In 2005, the terraces were updated for safety. The stadium can hold about 6,000 fans, with 350 seated spots.
The area for visiting fans is opposite the seated stand. The pitch is 110 yards long and 80 yards wide. Because Finn Park is close to the River Finn, the pitch can sometimes get very wet during heavy rain.
Future Plans for a New Stadium
The club has plans to move to a new, modern stadium. This new stadium would be across the River Finn in Stranorlar. It would have seats for 6,600 people and also include a special development center for football.
Plans for the new stadium were approved in 2005. Work started, but it stopped for a while because of money problems. Work began again in late 2014. In 2022, new plans were shown for a stadium with a capacity of 6,130, with all four sides covered and 3,330 seats.
Team Colors and Badges
Finn Harps' traditional colors are blue and white. When they first joined the League of Ireland, they wore white jerseys and blue shorts. Their away kit was all green. Over the years, they have mainly worn blue or white for home games, and green, yellow, or white for away games. Sometimes, they have even worn blue and white stripes.
Currently, Joma Sports makes their kits. So-Lo Stores sponsors their jerseys. The third kit is sponsored by Bluestack Foundation, which is their charity partner.
The home kit is a blue jersey with white stripes, blue shorts, and blue socks. The away kit is a white jersey with black trim, black shorts, and black socks. Their third kit uses a mix of blue and purple, with purple shorts and socks.
Finn Harps has used different badges (crests) over time. All of them have been mostly round and have featured a harp, which is a traditional symbol of Ireland. Footballs are also often seen on their badges. For their 50th anniversary in 2004, they used a special golden crest.
Supporters and Rivalries
Finn Harps fans have a strong rivalry with their neighbors, Derry City. This rivalry is called the Northwest Derby. The two clubs are only about 30 miles apart. Games between them are always exciting. One famous match was a play-off in 2003, where Derry City won in extra time.
Finn Harps also has a rivalry with Sligo Rovers, who are their southern neighbors. While important, the rivalry with Derry City is usually seen as the biggest one for Harps fans.
Interestingly, Finn Harps has a good relationship with Shamrock Rovers. The clubs have helped each other financially in the past, and their fans often get along when the teams play.
The club's song, "The Finn Harps Song," is often sung by supporters. Its lyrics mention that fans come from Donegal, Derry, and Tyrone, showing where most of their support comes from in the Northwest of Ireland.
Players
Current Squad
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Club Staff
Technical Staff
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Manager | Darren Murphy |
| Assistant manager | Eamon Curry |
| Assistant coach / Head Of Development | Kevin McHugh |
| Goalkeeper Coach | Eamon Curry |
| First-team physio | Nichola Ayres |
| Analyst | Eoin Logue |
| Fitness Coach | Gary Wallace |
| Kitman | Shane Elliott |
Academy Staff
| Position | Staff |
|---|---|
| Head of Youth Development | Kevin McHugh |
| Under-19 Team Manager | Tommy Walsh |
| Under-17 Team Manager | Russell Porter |
| Under-15 Team Manager | Conrad Clarke |
| Under-14 Team Manager | Kevin McHugh |
| Under-13 Development Team Manager | Davitt Walsh |
Club Achievements
Finn Harps has won several trophies throughout its history:
- FAI Cup
- Winners: 1973–74
- League of Ireland First Division
- Winners: 2004
- Runners-up: 2015, 2018
- Dublin City Cup
- Winners: 1971–72
- Irish News Cup
- Winners: 1998–99
- FAI Junior Cup
- Winners: 1967–68
- First Division Cup
- Winners: 2002–03
Source:
European Matches
Finn Harps has played in European competitions a few times. Here's a quick look at their record:
| Competition | Matches Played | Wins | Draws | Losses | Goals For | Goals Against |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| UEFA Cup | 6 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 33 |
| European Cup Winners' Cup | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 4 |
| TOTAL | 8 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 5 | 37 |
European Games Played
Here are the specific European matches Finn Harps has played:
| Season | Competition | Round | Opponent | Home Score | Away Score | Total Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973–74 | UEFA Cup | First Round |  Aberdeen |
1–3 | 1–4 | 2–7 |
| 1974–75 | European Cup Winners' Cup | First Round |  Bursaspor |
0–0 | 2–4 | 2–4 |
| 1976–77 | UEFA Cup | First Round |  Derby County |
1–4 | 0–12 | 1–16 |
| 1978–79 | UEFA Cup | First Round | Everton |
0–5 | 0–5 | 0–10 |
See also
In Spanish: Finn Harps Football Club para niños
