Darren Murphy remains optimistic for Finn Harps' promotion ambitions

Despite their play-off chances being dealt a massive blow following their 1-1 draw away to Kerry FC, Finn Harps manager Darren Murphy remains confident that his team will put in a massive effort for the remaining three league games in the hope of finding a chance of getting promoted. 

Harps hit the front on 70 minutes when Patrick Ferry fired the ball low past former Finn Harps goalkeeper Antonio Tuta into the corner of the net. However, the advantage was short-lived as 10 minutes later Sean McGrath levelled things up when he tapped home from close range to earn his side a share of the spoils. 

And while Kerry FC sit ninth in the League of Ireland First Division having only won four games this season, Murphy expresses his frustration with people expecting his side to pick up points away from home, stating that no game is easy in this league. 

“It was always going to be a tough game,” Murphy said after Friday’s match. “The games against Kerry the last two seasons have all been tough games, and they have really improved from last season, there’s no question about that. 

“I don’t get it when people think that you just come down and pick up three points, that doesn’t happen in this division and you can clearly see that going off results this evening.” 

With a two-week break for Harps due to the Wexford match being postponed because of the Leinster side’s participation in the FAI Cup, Murphy says with the other teams playing next week, the results will give his team a realistic view of whether they can reach the play-off spot.   

“Look we are where we are, and it’s out of our hands in the fact that we don’t have a game next week because Wexford have done so well in the cup, so we could go into the following weekend seven points behind Bray, then that makes going to Bray a must-win game,” he said. 

“But we’re still there with three games to go, which is a remarkable achievement considering some of the obstacles and hurdles we’ve had to face this year, so I can’t be too critical, even though people might want me to be, but I’m not, because I’m proud of every one of them that we’re still around the play-offs.” 

He also points to the difficulties his team has faced compared to other clubs in the league. 

“Once we finish at Bray on October 11, we will have travelled 11,000km this season with no overnight stays, that’s a lot of travelling, especially when you take it that some teams have only travelled 3,500km, we’ve done that in six weeks alone,” Murphy said. 

“So, all this is tough for us, we’re a young group and we’ve kept fighting all year. Unfortunately, we gave away a poor goal against Kerry but we did do well to get in front and I think a draw was a fair result and we’ve picked up 11 points from 15 which is good and keeps the play-off chances alive. 

“It’s been doom and gloom for a lot of people this year but I’m not going to stand here and be doom and gloom, we’re still fighting and the players have fought every game this season apart from one maybe. 

“And that’s all I’ve wanted. All I’ve ever wanted was the lads to be competitive in every game and tonight they were that, so I’m not going to be critical of them because they don’t deserve that.”