There is no-one in Donegal under any illusions that Finn Harps are once again going to be embroiled in a battle for survival in the Premier Division. Ollie Horgan's troops achieved survival in the top flight with victory over two legs against Drogh
There is no-one in Donegal under any illusions that Finn Harps are once again going to be embroiled in a battle for survival in the Premier Division. Ollie Horgan's troops achieved survival in the top flight with victory over two legs against Drogheda United in the promotion/relegation play-off final last season. They needed extra-time and Harry Ascroft's 107th-minute close-range winner to secure their Premier Division status heading into the new decade. Looking at the transfer activity in the off-season, the vast majority of Premier Division clubs have strengthened further meaning next season is going to be even more competitive. First Division Champions Shelbourne don't look like they're going to waste their top flight opportunity with a number of big-name signings, including former Harps defender Daniel O'Reilly. Not that this will matter to Horgan. Ollie bases his teams around hard work and a direct style of play which sees Harps put up a fight everywhere they go. Considering Harps took 16 matches to win a match in the league last season and were eight points behind UCD AFC, if the Ballybofey club can improve on last season's slow start, it would make the job of staying up a bit easier. A number of influential players have re-signed at the club such as Mark Coyle, Tony McNamee, Mark McGinley, Mark Timlin and Gareth Harkin. Mark Russell has also returned to the club, the former Falkirk and Greenock Morton left-back proved a popular addition last campaign, and Ruairi Harkin returns with the hope that a full season at the club will see him improve further. Sam Todd, a promising 21-year old defender who made 37 appearances for the club last season, the most of any Harps player, has also committed and the 2020 season should see him continue his impressive development. However, it is the new names in the building which should start the belief that Harps will be a Premier Division club at the end of the 2020 campaign. Karl O'Sullivan is the latest signing to be announced and the pacey winger should prove a fantastic addition by Horgan. Defender Shane McEleney and Dave Webster join with huge experience between them, and will go a long way to bolstering that Harps back-line who will be missing Keith Cowan in 2020. Adrian Delap rejoins on loan from Derry City and he will add a creative spark in the middle of the park but the other new signing could be the best signing of all. Ryan Connolly returns to the SSE Airtricity League after a year away from the game and it could prove to be the signing of the season for Harps. The 28-year old midfielder has shown himself in previous years to be a fantastic box-to-box midfielder and a real leader in the centre of the park. In 2016, the combative Connolly scored 12 goals for Galway United and attracted the attentions of Shamrock Rovers. Whilst he wasn't able to recreate his Galway form in Tallaght, he was still a consistent performer in the side and might be considered unlucky to be let go after one season in Dublin. The former Derby County, Ayr United, Galway United, Sligo Rovers and Shamrock Rovers man stepped away from the game after a return to Eamonn Deacy Park but a reinvigorated Connolly could be a tremendous asset for Horgan. Whilst he'll have to work hard to get back up to full match fitness and sharpness after his year out, Connolly appears to have rediscovered his hunger for the game and this news should excite the Ballybofey support. Whilst many supporters and pundits around the league have wrote off Harps' chances of survival already, if they can improve on last season's start to the season, add a striker before the start of the season and help Connolly rediscover his best form, there is no reason why the Donegal can't continue to enjoy top flight football in 2021.
