David Cawley feeling better for part-time switch at Finn Harps

When David Cawley left Sligo Rovers at the end of the 2023 season, few would have banked on him joining Finn Harps.

Cawley was the Sligo Rovers captain and had over 300 Premier Division appearances. In confirming his departure from the Showgrounds, Cawley remarked that he felt that he had “more to give” at the top level.

Harps, for their part, finished bottom-bar-one in the First Division, with only Kerry FC, the League of Ireland newcomers, beneath them.

With new manager Darren Murphy wiping the slate clean and with Kevin McHugh giving some gentle persuasion, something appealed to Cawley.

“It would've been a big strain to go back to full-time football,” the 32-year-old told Donegal Live.

“Things tidied up well for me. Harps had a difficult season last season, but Murph' and Kev' told me their plans for regrouping the club and getting a buzz back. I could feel it in pre-season.

“When you come out of full-time football, you can see how relentless it is. Murph has been very good with how he has managed me. Training almost every second day, I'm almost feeling stronger and sharper on the pitch.

“Joining Harps, Murph didn't give me any guarantees about playing in games. I just wanted to get back fit, get enjoying football again.

“I've gone a little bit part-time for the first time in my career and I feel better for it. I feel fitter, I feel stronger. I think the timing of it all came together.”

Based in Ballina, Cawley makes the trek to Ballybofey at least three times a week.

The First Division is no easy task either when one considers the journeys. Harps travel to Wexford this Friday having been in Cork twice and Limerick once in the last month.

“It's a good spin up, but I've been commuting all my career,” Cawley said. “The drive to Sligo was 45-50 minutes. It's grand. I always give myself two and a half hours.

“It's a serious commitment for the lads here. A lot of them work or have college too on top of football.

“The first Cobh game really opened my eyes. I drove down and I tweaked my calf towards the end of the game. It was my left calf and it was so hard to clutch the car. That injury put me back by a few weeks.

“I am loving every minute of it, honest to God. I'm loving it. I enjoyed pre-season and I enjoy the lads here. The young lads keep us on our toes.”

Cawley and his long-time partner Lauren – together since they were 16 – have young daughters Robyn, Lily and Mia.

The link up with Harps worked out in lots of ways with Cawley, who holds a UEFA B Licence, also running David Cawley Pro Coaching, which he launched last summer.

Cawley spent four seasons at Ipswich Town in his youth. He had two lengthy spells at Sligo Rovers, broken by a season apiece at Galway United and St Patrick's Athletic.

Cawley was given a testimonial by Sligo Rovers last season. He had won the Premier Division in 2012, the FAI Cup in 2013 and the Setanta Sports Cup in 2014 with the Bit O'Red.

Harps now have lost four in a row, but Cawley believes they can bounce back and stay in the play-off positions.

“As disappointed as we are, we are still in the mix,” he said in the wake of Friday's 2-1 defeat by Bray Wanderers.

“We are on a sticky run at the minute and it's down to everyone now because every game is like a mini cup final.

“We all have to regroup. We'll all get back up and get the buzz back in. We're losing goals by a game and the margins are so fine. Even the games we are winning, they're very tight. The first goal in this league is massive.

“We aren't too far away. We're conceding silly goals, but if we can nip that, I think we'll stay in the bunch.”