Shay Given: New facilities could make Finn Harps 'hottest ticket in town'

One of the first things that struck Shay Given when he went across the water in the early 1990s was the vast difference in facilities.

Club training grounds were in marked contrast to Given's experiences in Ireland – and clubs here are still playing catch-up.

Given signed for Celtic having starred for Lifford Celtic in their voyage to an FAI Junior Cup semi-final, losing to Neilstown Rangers at Oriel Park. The Dundalk venue still resembles the venue in which Given played in that Junior Cup semi they lost 1-0 32 years ago.

Given went on to win 134 caps for the Republic of Ireland after carving out a successful career that included 450 appearances in the Premier League.

The Lifford native was back in Ireland recently at an event, hosted by the Donegal Dublin Business Network, that heard details of Harps' ambitious plans for a new stadium in Stranorlar.

Brexit means that Irish youngsters cannot move to clubs in the UK until they turn 18 and Given believes League of Ireland clubs including Harps can really capitalise – but has urged football officials and the government to invest properly.

Harps have seen the benefits of their own academy system this season with eight players involved regularly in the first team squad.

“It's a key time for the League of Ireland to jump on its own progress and for the Irish government to get on board as well to push it,” Given tells Donegal Live.

“Other clubs up and down the country are crying out for investment for their facilities too.

“Facilities are absolutely key. Finn Harps have a good representation in their first team squad now from the academy. That just shows you that if you get the structures right it can pay off. It shows young players that the pathway is there if they want to make use of it.

“It's an exciting time. It would be great to see the people of Donegal getting behind Finn Harps.”
Harps now have players in their system from U11 and last season had teams in the Women's League of Ireland at U17 and U19 levels for the first time.

When 15-year-old Gavin McAteer played against Kerry last month, he became the first player to go from Harps' youngest development squad to the first team.

The appointment of club legend Kevin McHugh – who scored 186 goals in 438 appearances for Harps as a player – as assistant manager was one of Darren Murphy's first tasks upon being named as the new manager at the end of 2023.

McHugh has kept on his role as Head of Academy at the club.

“The roles are really helpful in the transition from underage,” McHugh says. “It's my job to know each and every players strengths at underage, and thankfully I know their characters as well, which is really helpful when trying to integrate players to a senior changing room.”

“Murph has been great in his approach. He sees the good in players and what department they are strong in. As we’ve seen recently with Gavin, if your good enough, your old enough.

“The current experienced players within the changing room deserve huge credit for their patience and guidance as well - and this is something we need to build upon as a club.

“We want to stay as competitive as possible on the pitch, whilst developing ourselves as a football club off it.”

Oisin Cooney, Darragh Coyle, Stephen Doherty, Max Johnston, Kevin Jordan, Aaron McLaughlin and Sean O'Donnell are the others, along with McAteer, to come through Harps' Academy to the current first team.

Given saw the value of structures in the academies of clubs he spent time at, including Celtic, Blackburn Rovers, Newcastle United, Aston Villa and Manchester City. In his youth, Given had a trial with Manchester United before plumping for Celtic.

The actual bricks and mortar were an obvious benefit too and he believes clubs like Harps must be aided in their progress.

He says: “It is key that facilities are a big part of the development. It's the whole package really.

“Finn Harps have big plans with a new stadium, which would be unbelievable for the club, for the whole county and for the north west of Ireland.

“They want the best facilities and the best stadiums because that will attract everyone – men, women, boys, girls – to the club and make it a real match day experience.

“If Finn Harps can get this over the line, it would attract more people and more businesses to get behind the club. With more revenue, they can get better players and, obviously, it's easier to attract players when you have good facilities.

“What has been encouraging looking at the League of Ireland from the outside in is the crowds that are going to matches now. There are so many games selling out and the atmosphere is back in the stadiums again.

“That can only keep improving – but the clubs and the League needs the facilities to really get a snowball effect.

“If facilities are right, people will want to go to the games and you have the corporate stuff as well.
You want it to be the hottest ticket in town.”

Given points to the recent appointment of former Ireland manager Stephen Kenny to the manager's job at St Patrick's Athletic as the latest evidence that the League of Ireland is attractive.

The presence of his former Ireland team-mate Damien Duff as boss of Premier Division leaders Shelbourne has brought an added microscope that Given says can only be positive.

“It's amazing what Duffer has been doing at Shels,” he says.

“Like anything he has done in his career, he has thrown the kitchen sink at it. He doesn't do anything by half measures and he has brought great profile and passion to the League.”

Given looks enviously now at the chances for kids in Ireland at home.

With Harps having a League of Ireland outlet for youngsters at U11, the chances have never been better for budding players in Donegal.

“We had the great run in the FAI Junior Cup and I just happened to get picked up from that,” he says.

“There weren't too many scouts watching those games, but nowadays there is a better network and it's spread out far and wide.

“They're spread out far and wide too – not just in Ireland. You're competing now with young players from all over the world but, definitely, the better the facilities the better the chance they'll have to be the best they can be."

Finn Harps - The Academy Graduates

Oisin Cooney
The Clonmany man made his breakthrough to the Harps first team last season. First signed from Clonmany Shamrocks in 2022 at U15 level, Cooney, who is now 17, has played one first team game and signed a two-year deal at the end of last year. Has been capped at U17 level by Ireland.

Darragh Coyle
Still only 17, Coyle – a younger brother of Shelbourne midfielder and former Harps player Mark Coyle – played for Bonagee and Aileach before going to the Harps U13s in 2019. Last year, made his first team debut and the Irish Schools international has played nine senior games.

Darragh Coyle

Stephen Doherty
The Illies man initially joined the Harps U17s in 2017 and made his first team debut in 2018. Left for Institute in 2022, but returned last year. Doherty has played 58 times for Harps and has scored two goals – including a goal earlier this year in a 2-0 win over Athlone Town,

Max Johnston
The Glenmaquin native was signed from Letterkenny Rovers for the Harps U15s in 2020. Has played 20 games at senior level for Harps and scored his first goal in a 3-2 win over Longford in May.

Kevin Jordan
Moved to the Harps Academy from his native Buncrana Hearts before playing 21 times with Harps' seniors in 2023. An injury sustained in pre-season has prevented him from adding to the tally so far this season.

Gavin McAteer
Became the youngest player to feature in a League game for Harps last month when, at 15 years and 327 days, he came on against Kerry. Has recently been doing his Junior Cert at Loreto Community School in Milford having made two first team appearances. Is the first player to have come from the youngest development squad, playing for Harps at U11s all the way up to the senior team having been picked up from Milford United.

Aaron McLaughlin

Aaron McLaughlin
Recruited for the Harps U13s from Mulroy Academy when he was 12, McLaughlin signed a three-and-a-half-year contract at Harps last season. Capped at U17 and U18 levels by Ireland, he has played 22 times for Harps and his goal last year against Treaty marked him as the club's youngest goalscorer in senior football.

Sean O'Donnell
After joining Harps' U17 side from Carndonagh FC in 2021, the pacy winger made three sub appearances in the Premier Division that season. Last Friday, he played his 51st senior game and has scored seven goals. Will take up a scholarship in the United States in the coming weeks.