Lagan Harps ‘buzzing’ again after clinching Division 2 title

At the start of February, Lagan Harps went to Cranford Park and it was a do-or-die Sunday.

Defeat would’ve left Vinny McLaughlin’s side eight points behind their hosts and the Donegal League Division 2 title far from their reach.

Instead, a 3-1 win ignited their title challenge and the champagne was popped on Sunday, a 3-0 win over Gweedore United at Carrickboyle crowning them as champions.

It has been a rollercoaster ride for McLaughlin, a young manager who took up the posting at Orchard Park three years ago.

“When I went out to Lagan at first three years ago, it was down and out or it felt that way,” McLaughlin told Donegal Live.

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“Lagan is a great club. To see it down and out was hard, but we got it turned around. I took some players out with me. We had a good squad last year, but the consistency wasn’t good enough. The consistency won it for us this year.”

The return of Glenn Gallagher and Marty Brogan added some vital experience this season and Joe McCarron proved a useful addition from Oldtown Celtic,

Kenny Doran had success in the Ulster Senior League while at Kildrum Tigers and is another who popped up with vital goals.

Travis Crawford, Matthew Doran and Brogan netted in Sunday’s title-winning game, a week after Josh Hay and Ross Hamlyn scored in a 2-1 win over derby foes Drumoghill to secure promotion.

“We wanted to get out of the bottom tier, but I knew we could win it,” McLaughlin said.

“We got promotion wrapped up and we just needed to keep level headed. We knew when we brought those players in this season that we could give the League a good run.

“It was great to do it with a game to spare. We had two stabs at it to win the trophy. Our last game is away to Whitestrand and everyone knows how tough a place it is to go.

“That Cranford win in February was the one that took us over the line, I think.”

A 2-1 defeat to Cranford on match day two was Lagan’s only League defeat of the season. Thereafter, they dropped just four points.

Gabriel Crawford has looked after the coaching and McLaughlin is high in his praise.

He said: “To be fair to him, we would’ve won nothing without him. He is absolutely brilliant. He made it so easy for me. Gavin Murray has been helping Gabriel too and has a good knowledge of the game too.

“I don’t think we’d have got over the line without Gabriel. He could coach at any level in the game.”

Ryan Gallagher and Matthew Doran have emerged as promising prospects. Doran, who is only 17, has popped up with some vital goals and Lagan feels like a club back on the up again.

McLaughlin said: “It’s clear the club is buzzing again. There is a great buzz. If you go out on a Saturday morning, the place is rammed. The youth structure in the club is excellent and the hard work is going in. Bringing trophies back is the icing on the cake.”