All the pre-season work has been done so it’s now down to competitive action for Kevin McHugh’s Finn Harps U15s. It’s the second season of the U15 League of Ireland and Harps will be aiming to at least repeat the heights of last season when they made the league semi-final.
Their first game is at home to Monaghan United/Cavan FP on this Saturday at Maginn Park, Buncrana with a 2:30pm kick off. Finn Harps F.C. have acknowledged the work their former clubs and leagues have done with these players to date and thank them for their efforts in preparing players for the national stage.
McHugh is clearly looking forward to the new campaign, saying: “It’s great to finally get the season up and running this weekend. Nothing beats competitive football when players are working on their personal goals and we as coaches are working on team goals. Some of our boys got a taste for national league football last season and have benefited greatly from that. Other boys have come out of schoolboy football and will take time to adjust.
This season sees us up against really tough opposition, which is exactly right down my street. These games will help develop these boys much quicker in-terms of speed of play, speed of thought and their overall craft, playing against the best 2003 and 2004 players in the country.”
McHugh is confident that the Harps U15s will be a match for most other teams in the league.
“I don’t accept the notion we are in any way inferior to other counties. We have as much if not more talent coming through as other major clubs. We just need to get these boys to believe in themselves more. Again as U15 Head Coach and Head of Academy, I’d like to personally thank the players former clubs in their roles in developing the players for the National League stage. Also a big thank you for the continued support and co-operation of the Donegal Schoolboys League and Inishowen Schoolboys League ”
The Finn U15 squad for the 2018 season include Adam Murphy – Bonagee United
Rory Pyper – Letterkenny Rovers
Conor McDaid – Letterkenny Rovers
Eoin McGettigan – Milford United
Caomhan Wheeler – Lagan Harps
Patrick McGarvey – Re-signed
Daniel Gildea – Re-signed
Jamie McDaid – Resigned
Jack Dwyer – Letterkenny Rovers
Joel Gorman – Letterkenny Rovers
Liam McGrenaghan – Mulroy Academy
Drew McKinney – Redcastle
Blake McGarvey – Glenea United
Conor Campbell – Eany Celtic
Corey Brolly – Raphoe Town
Daryl Porter – Sion Swifts
Fionnan Coyle – Re-signed
Oran McGrath – Sion Swifts
