New kid on the block Josh Cullen looking to push on and make his name at Finn Harps

The floodlights at Markets Field cast long shadows as the clock ticked towards full-time. Finn Harps were trailing, the game slipping away, when Kevin McHugh turned to the bench and called for Josh Cullen.   

At just 16, the Donegal Town native had spent years dreaming of this moment. And now, in the closing minutes of a tough night in Limerick, it had arrived as he was called in to make his debut.  

"It was always something I dreamt of, I always wanted to get up through the ranks of the Finn Harps Academy and to get into the first team," Cullen told Donegal Live.

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"I’m the second youngest in the squad at the minute so I have a lot of learning, but it was great to get my debut and it’s something I’ll remember forever."  

Harps’ night at Markets Field ultimately ended in disappointment, a 3-1 defeat to Treaty United leaving them still searching for their first points of the season.   

But for Cullen, the result was only part of the story. His big moment came late in the game when assistant manager Kevin McHugh turned to him on the bench.  

"I never knew that I was going to be making my debut that night, there were only about seven minutes left in the match when Kevin turned to me on the bench and said ‘get ready, you’re coming on’."  

Thrown into the action at centre-back, Cullen’s instructions were minimal. "I was briefly told about the set-pieces and where to go before I went on, but there was nothing major given to me, so I just went on for the last few minutes at centre-back."  

Cullen is part of a youthful squad at Finn Park, with manager Darren Murphy overseeing a rebuild that prioritises young, emerging talent who are still looking to find their feet in the 2025 season.   

"I know this year especially at the club, we have a young team and we’re trying to rebuild by bringing in a few new faces. I suppose we are just trying to get a consistent team together now and kick on as the season goes on."  

Cullen arrived at the club from Donegal Town, first lining out for the MU14 side. The defender has since played at MU15 and MU17 levels and after training with the first team during preseason signs his first senior deal back in February alongside Adam McDaid and Corey Sheridan.  

Darren Murphy spoke about their ability last month when he praised the three young players as shining examples that there is a path forward from the academy with hard work.  

“It’s always a brilliant day for a football club when you see boys come through your academy and come into the first team. Adam, Josh, and Corey have all been fantastic these past few weeks and it’s great to be able to reward them with senior deals,” Murphy told the media last month.   

“This is only the first step in their careers and the jump to senior football is significant but so far the three lads have handled themselves very well and are great examples to other academy players that the pathway is there for anyone who can step up to the mark.”  

The message from the coaching staff to Cullen has since been clear: this isn’t just about making up the numbers.  

"I know when I came into the squad, I was told by Kevin that we haven’t been brought in to just take part, we’re there to make a name for ourselves and try and get a spot in the team at the end of the day.  

"The older lads on the team have been very helpful and welcoming. They’ve got me settled and I really appreciate it."  

Cullen’s rise has meant making sacrifices along the way. A talented Gaelic footballer, he is the grandson of former Donegal captain Pauric McShea. But Cullen had to make a tough call in choosing to focus solely on soccer.   

"I do miss playing Gaelic a bit, I suppose I’ve played the game since I was no age, but I just felt if I wanted to give soccer a proper go, I needed to completely focus on it. Giving Gaelic up isn’t something I wanted to do but I always leaned towards soccer more, so I had to make the decision in the end."  

A coach at his old club, Donegal Town FC, Eamonn Jordan, has seen Cullen’s dedication up close and what he’s done to try and push his name into the game.   

"What was brilliant about Josh and watching him play, was that he didn’t have a set position. If the opposition had a great striker, you could put him in centre-back to do a job, likewise, if you needed a goal, you could put him up front and he’d get that.  

"He was consistently an eight out of 10. He is just unbelievably versatile and so good in every position."  

That commitment extended far beyond match days.   

"I know, even in his off-season, he would be down on the astro at 7am before school training. That was the type of commitment he had, he was always driven and focused on his sport."  

His journey at Finn Harps is just beginning. There will be more learning curves, more hard nights like Friday’s defeat in Limerick, but for Cullen, the path is clear. He’s here to make a name for himself, and he’s only getting started.