Finn Harps have won promotion in each of their previous two visits to the play-offs and have a first leg advantage against Limerick this week, it hasn’t always been that way…
1994: Flying Harps grounded by Cobh
A John Gerard McGettigan goal in the first leg at Finn Park gave Harps a first leg advantage against Cobh Ramblers.
McGettigan’s goal meant that a huge traveling support made its way to St Colman’s Park – but they were overturned 3-0 in a disastrous second leg.
Harps ought to have had a bigger lead from the first leg and saw Damien Dunleay and Marty Gallagher both denied penalties.
Cobh, the Premier Division side, had little of the play in Ballybofey, and McGettigan’s stunning half-volley from 25 yards flew beyond Stephen Henderson, the Cobh goalkeeper.
Gallagher and Adrian Creane were close to adding to the lead, but Harps took a slender advantage south.
Harps: Norman Costello, Brian Lafferty, Adrian Creane, Charlie McGeever, Sean Barrett, Stephen Rushe, Maurice Toland, John Gerard McGettigan, Kieran Rooney, Damien Dunleavy, Marty Gallagher.
Harps chartered a Logan Air flight to Cork Airport for the game. Full-back Maurice Toland was driven to the game by Killygordon man Tommy Dullaghan and would later remark that he was at the venue quicker than the plane!
The second leg was an ordeal for Harps.
“The many hundreds of supporters who made the long trip from Donegal could only watch in disbelief as their heroes were comprehensively beaten by a team who just seven days earlier had been somewhat fortunate to leave Finn Park just a single goal in arrears,” was how the Donegal News saw it.
Sean Francis glanced home a Kevin Kelly corner to put Cobh ahead on the evening and level in the tie.
Harps welcomed Paul Hegarty back from suspension, but it was an off-colour night for the boys in blue. Paul Bannon doubled the Cobh lead on 35 minutes and, 17 minutes from the end, Bannon added a third.
The game is also remembered for Harps goalkeeper Norman Costello becoming involved in what was described in the local media as ‘an incident with a Cobh supporter which left the latter in the horizontal position’!
Harps: Norman Costello, Brian Lafferty, Adrian Creane, Charlie McGeever, Sean Barrett, Stephen Rushe, Maurice Toland, John Gerard McGettigan, Kieran Rooney, Damien Dunleavy, Paul Hegarty. Subs: Marty Gallagher for Creane, Colm McGonagle for Dunleavy.
1995 – ‘The Shack or the Shannon’ as Harps lose on penalties
Michael O’Neill, the Athlone Town player-manager, said in an interview before the second leg of the 1995 play-off against Harps that it was ‘to the Shack (a local pub) or the Shannon (the river)’ depending on the outcome of the game.
A gripping tie went all the way to penalties in the second leg at St Mel’s Park.
The teams had failed to score over 180 minutes.
A big talking point before the first leg in Finn Park was Brian Lafferty coming into the side in place of Marty McGinley.
Alan Doherty had an early chance for Harps, but headed just wide from six yards, while Paul Hegarty tested Athlone ‘keeper Shane Curran from distance.
Just before half-time, Curran saved well from Ronnie Murphy while a superb Trevor Scanlon tackle prevented Chris Malone from getting in on Aidan Smyth.
Harps were dealt a blow when player-coach Charlie McGeever was sent off for a foul on Rod De Khors and while the home side continued to press, Murphy hit the side-netting after connecting to John Gerard McGettigan’s free.
Harps: Aidan Smyth, Brian Lafferty, Maurice Toland, Trevor Scanlon, Ronnie Murphy, Charlie McGeever, Paul Hegarty, John Gerard McGettigan, Alan Doherty, Pierce Walsh, Kieran Rooney. Subs: Richie Parsons for Doherty, Marty Gallagher for Lafferty
Again, a huge crowd of Harps supporters headed for the away fixture with their hopes high. The memories of Cobh lingered, but they remained confident that they could end the wait for Premier Division football.
Harps began well and throughout the 90 minutes Patsy McGowan’s men hit the woodwork three times.
Maurice Toland riffled against a post in the first half. Later in the game, Alan Doherty was thwarted by the post and Pierce Walsh cannoned a free kick off the goal frame.
The drama deepened in extra time.
Harps were denied a penalty when John Gerard McGettigan appeared to have been fouled.
Much later, Barry Murphy looked to have given Athlone the lead, but his headed was brilliantly saved on the line. The problem was it had been saved by the hand of Harps defender Brian Lafferty. With Lafferty sent off, Frank Darby whacked against the crossbar from the spot.
It was down to penalties to determine a winner.
Sean Barrett hadn’t been in the Harps squad for the first leg and had only been sent on for the last four minutes of the return game.
Barrett skied Harps’ second penalty and, although Pierce Walsh, Alan Doherty and Trevor Scanlon scored, Athlone netted all five of theirs, including one from Davy Dowling – who would later play for Harps – and their player-manager Michael O’Connor.
Harps: Aidan Smyth, Brian Lafferty, Maurice Toland, Trevor Scanlon, Ronnie Murphy, Charlie McGeever, Paul Hegarty, John Gerard McGettigan, Alan Doherty, Pierce Walsh, Kieran Rooney. Sub: Sean Barrett for McGeever.
It was 2002 before Harps were back in a play-off – when they fell on penalties after a Kevin McHugh hat-trick against Longford Town.
Harps lost in two play-offs in 2003 – against Galway United in the 2002/03 season and then to Derry City after the ‘Battle of the Brandywell’ in December ’03, but the fortunes lifted when wins over Dundalk and Waterford took Paul Hegarty’s Harps into the top flight in 2007.
Three years ago, UCD and Limerick were accounted for and the class of 2018 are 90 minutes away from adding their name to the winning side of the ledger as they head for the Markets Field.
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