Darren Murphy non committal on full-time Finn Harps role 

Finn Harps Interim manager Darren Murphy stated that his side deserves immense credit for their comeback win over Kerry FC at Finn Park on Friday night. 

It has been a difficult week at Finn Harps with the departure of Dave Rogers as first-team manager and Murphy taking charge for the remainder of the season. With this in mind, Murphy is delighted with the three points but also with the response of the players. 

“We are absolutely delighted with the response of the players coming out after what has been a very difficult week. 

“We knew the game was going to be a tight tense affair, it’s two teams that have had a tough time in the first division this season. All around, it is just nice to get three points. It’s not really about the performance, it was just about getting a win and bringing a few smiles to a few people’s faces.”

The game was scoreless at the interval but Kerry FC came out and got the game's opening goal two minutes after the restart. The home side fought back however and turned the game around courtesy of two set-piece headers from BJ Banda and Noe Baba. 

Post-match Murphy mentioned that set-pieces and crosses into the box were scenarios that they worked on all week at training and therefore is delighted that the hard work they put in on the training ground was able to be replicated on matchday. 

“The two headed goals tonight is something which we worked on all week. We have worked on balls into the box from set pieces and crosses from open play. 

“When you work on things in training and go out on game night and these things happen in the game and you win the game then it’s been an all round good night for everybody”. 

When questioned on how difficult of a week it has been for himself personally, Darren stated that he has been in scenarios like this previously in his footballing career however, he feels that due to the length of time in a week which the manager and coaching staff spend together it hits quite hard. 

“I’ve been involved in this situation before both as a player and in a coaching scenario where a manager has decided to resign and It's not easy. It’s probably harder on a coaching side than a playing side because as a group of staff you spend a lot of time together, four or five days a week at times with Dave, and so it hits the staff hard.

Alongside Murphy for the season run-in, he has two people in the form of Kevin McHugh and Tommy Canning. Murphy says that this duo has an extensive knowledge of Irish football and know the club well and will therefore benefit from their introduction. 

“We have two great people coming in with me, Two people that know the club inside out. One is a legend of this football club in Kevin McHugh, a great fella to have with great knowledge. 

“Tommy Canning knows this football club, he was the manager of the under-19s here and knows a lot of the players. The two of them have an extensive knowledge of League Of Ireland and the Irish league and also an extensive knowledge of younger and slightly older players in the Donegal league so it’s great to get them two lads in this week.”

When questioned whether he would be interested in becoming the next permanent manager of Finn Harps, Murphy didn't comment too much on the matter.

“The easiest way to answer that question would be that Darren Murphy will probably answer that question if he asked it. Darren has decided to stay for the four games because there is a special relationship with a lot of players in that changing room. 

“When we come to the end of the season and the club have a clearer picture of maybe what path they want to take moving forward next season then maybe Darren Murphy will sit down and have the conversation and who knows what happens in football, it’s a funny old game”.