Finn Harps Under-17s Head Coach Declan Boyle has been delighted with the progress of the side after Harps enjoyed a 4-0 victory over Drogheda United. Harps moved joint-second with Bohemians in the SSE Airtricity U17 Northern Elite Division with St.
Finn Harps Under-17s Head Coach Declan Boyle has been delighted with the progress of the side after Harps enjoyed a 4-0 victory over Drogheda United.
Harps moved joint-second with Bohemians in the SSE Airtricity U17 Northern Elite Division with St. Patrick’s Athletic currently top of the table on an impressive 28 points.
It’s been an impressive campaign for Harps so far, “We’re creating a lot of chances and we are playing well. We are delighted with the way things are going”, explained Boyle.
Three of their next five fixtures feature ties against St. Pats, Bohemians and Dundalk, all of whom currently occupy the remaining three spots of the top four along with Harps.
The Ballybofey boys are the only team to take points off current leaders St. Patrick’s Athletic when they held them to a 1-1 draw at IT Blanchardstown.
“It was our first league match we played against Bohs and we didn’t play that well, so we owe them one. They are going very well and will be tough opposition,” he explained.
“And we will have Dundalk away, who are also going well. So it’s going to be a tough run. As for St. Pats, we took points off them this year, and in general we have a reasonable record against them.”
Boyle himself has a wealth of football experience, having spent time in Scotland at Celtic as well as in Irish football with the likes of Sligo Rovers and Finn Harps.
Boyle’s squad has some international experience in its depths, with Marc Walsh who recently left for Swansea, and Conor O’Reilly having represented their country at U16 level.
“Marc Walsh has recently left us for Swansea, so that’s a positive in terms of the talent the club is developing. There is another lad heading over in the month of August.”
Boyle was quick to praise not only his international representatives, but the squad as a whole.
“Overall I would say we have a good balanced team. We have good players all over the pitch. There are some lads who have been with us for years now. It’s a good make-up. I’m very happy with how they are playing and their application. I think they are enjoying it as well which is great.”
Boyle credited some of the progress his side has made to the high standard of football which the Northern Elite Division offers.
“The league is most beneficial to teams out of Dublin because the opposition is tougher. Dublin teams will have played a high standard of football from a young age in the DDSL, but now our lads get the valuable experience of playing against other lads their age at the top of their game.”
