It isn’t glamorous but that’s not why we do it - Finn Harps captain Tony McNamee

Tony McNamee admits that the League of Ireland First Division remains an arduous gauntlet - both on and off the pitch.

Finn Harps’ shortest away trek this term is Longford Town in a campaign that will also include, in total, eight journeys split evenly between Cock City, Cobh Ramblers, Kerry FC and Wexford.

Last season, Harps’ annus horribilis, is now consigned to the dustbin. But it was a 5-1 away defeat to Friday night’s opponents Cobh, last September, that finally saw the plug pulled on Dave Rogers’ ill-fated time in charge.

There were frequent occasions when Rogers simply chose not to speak to the media when results were not going his side’s way.

But the one that often made his way across, not out of any obligation but, perhaps, just out of manners, was then assistant Darren Murphy.

Murphy was, and still is, pragmatic when it comes to talking football. And it wasn’t a huge surprise when Harps chairman Ian Harkin and his board decided to give Murphy the job permanently at the end of last term.

From their three outings to date, Harps have taken seven points from the nine on offer. They opened with a 3-2 away win in Longford before following that up with a 1-1 home draw with Cork - a game they could quite easily have taken the full quota from.

Last time out against Athlone Town in Ballybofey, they secured a comfortable 2-0 victory to move second in the table.

As fate would have it, their scheduled away trek to Cobh has been reversed and they’re back in Ballyofey this Friday night.

We’ve started in good enough fashion,” McNamee told DonegalLive. “It’s where we hoped to be. With the reversal, we’ve another home game now to really target. The flip is we’ll be on the road three times in a row after.

“We’re looking at Athlone, Cork and Cobh away on the bounce. But let’s concentrate on Friday night first”.

McNamee works full-time at Bolt-in Industrial Supplies, Letterkenny. But there are numerous occasions that the skipper has to ask for time off. Fortunately, his bosses understand.

McNamee has a profile, is very personable and that no doubt lends itself to trade. But not everyone who operates on a part-time basis is that lucky. Indeed, it’s often the reason why players simply cannot commit.

McNamee explains how all of that works in terms of clocking out: “Depending on where we’re going it might have to be midday, Thursday. Cork, Kerry and Cobh, those could well be overnighters.

“So that’s two days off work. If it’s not an overnighter, you’re probably getting on a bus at 8 am on the Friday.

“Then, after the game, it’s back on the bus and maybe getting home at 7 the next morning. That’s the guts of 24 hours on the go. It’s not glamorous and it takes a toll, particularly when results aren’t going your way, like they were last season”.

McNamee returned for a third spell on Navenny Street in 2023 having previously left to join up with Bonagee United in 2021. His decision, at the time, centred on a lack of minutes.

But Murphy’s faith in the Ramelton native means he put the captain’s armband on him at the start of this season.

“The fact that you’re training three or four nights a week, you want to play. If you’re not, you won’t be happy. There were times in the past where we were winning games and I found myself on the bench. You take your medicine.

“But there were also times when we weren’t winning and I felt I maybe didn’t get a chance. You’d question it for sure at times like that. But the truth is, last year, coming back, was an easy decision.

“I’d a choice of going back to senior football or to stay at junior level. For me, it’s always been about pushing myself and wanting to play at the highest level possible.

Mark here at work, he’s been brilliant. Once I spoke to him and got the green light, I was straight back on board”.

Seventh-placed Cobh have lost one and drawn one from their first two games, splitting the points with Athlone at home in a 3-3 encounter while losing 3-1 away to early leaders Treaty United.

McNamee agrees the weekend is another good yardstick to see what improvements are being made on last term.

“We spoke about it at length on Monday night and again last night at training. We played Athlone four times last season, lost three, won once. Against Cobh, it was two losses, a draw and a win.

“Genuinely, I think our worst performance last year was the loss down in Cobh. A 5-1 loss, even that probably flattered us.

“We went one up but once they scored we were camped inside our own half for the rest of the game. It was a very disappointing night. But Dave was the one that put trust in me, asked me to come back in and I’m still grateful for that”.

So what has changed under the new regime?

“Since Murph took over, what he, Kevin, Eamon and the rest of the staff have looked to do is set our stall out very early on in terms of structures of play.

“You have to have options, be able to adapt depending on the opposition. You can’t go into every game and look to play the same way.

“Against Derry and Sligo, pre-season, we set up in a certain way where there were times we’d press and there were times you simply have to allow the other team to play.

“You want to win every single game but there are times where you’ll target certain games and teams.

“It’s early days so we’re still in the process of all of that. But a result at the weekend would be another small but positive step along the way”.

The real success story for Harps to date has, excuse the pun, been the form of Success Edegon up top. The former Treaty striker has netted three times and also chipped in with two assists.

But McNamee isn’t surprised he’s making an instant impression.

“We played against Success last year and we knew just how good he was. So that hasn’t been a surprise.

“The main aim for the club had to be continuity and keeping the basis of the squad that was there towards the end of last year.

“We’ve added experience like Dave Cawley and Conor Tourish - lads that know the landscape. It was crucial to get those kinda acquisitions because that will protect the younger lads and give them the best chance of making an impact”.