Home comforts for local lad Oran Brogan as Finn Harps host Cobh

Finn Harps new signing Oran Brogan has adapted well to joining his local League of Ireland club as they seek another win.

A Letterkenny native and former student of St Eunan’s College, Brogan has been on the books of Institute, Dergview and Loughgall and has plied his trade in the Irish League since the age of 17.

Five years between the Premiership and Championship followed, although a cruciate injury while playing for Loughgall kept him out for the majority of 2024 and the early parts of this year.

After four years studying in ATU Donegal and going on to do a Masters in Health Project Management in Sligo, the commitment was getting bigger for Brogan, who just turned 23 on Wednesday.

However, the chance to move to a League of Ireland club in his locality came up last month and he put pen to paper with Finn Harps at the start of July.

“I done the cruciate in April 2024, then got surgery in June, so I got back for the last three games of the Loughgall season, but I have four full seasons under my belt, which has stood me in good stead.

“We’re a young squad with a lot of local boys and Kevin (McHugh) is trying to add some more experience, but those young lads have been flying.

“I feel good and fit and I’m trying to make up for lost time really.

“It would have been tough going over to Loughgall three days a week, so we came to an agreement it wouldn’t work. Then when Kevin got wind of it, he got in touch and it’s something I wanted to get involved in.

“Since I’ve come in, the lads have been brilliant and I can’t fault them. I’d know some of them, having played with them for ATU and that made it all the easier so it was easy to settle in.”

Living in Letterkenny, Brogan spent time at Finn Harps until a move to Derry City for the National Underage League, but he was still a keen follower of the Finn Park side.

Brogan made his first start for the club away to UCD as they lost 3-1, but it was a much-improved performance seven days later as they got revenge over the Students with a 3-0 win in the cup in his home debut.

“There’s a bit more added pressure playing in front of your family and friends.

After losing and beating UCD, you have people asking you after games and bringing it up to you on the streets and then my mates are watching every week, which is something I’ve not been used to since I was about 14 or 15.

“I do enjoy that extra pressure, I always gave 100% wherever I was but you have that bit more pride and want to win for your hometown club and your county team.

“I would have went to Harps games since I was 11/12 when they were in the Premier and First Division under Ollie and every home game I’d be frequently attending, I always liked seeing them doing well.

“It was disappointing coming back from UCD but we trained well last week and we knew if we pressed them early to show it wouldn’t be as easy, then we’d be well in the game and three goals and a clean sheet, you can’t beat it.

“That was my first time playing in Finn Park and clapping off the fans who were brilliant, when you go and watch every week you don’t realise that extra 5-10% the crowd gives you when you’re playing.”

That defeat in the UCD Bowl ended a run of five league games unbeaten for the club, but they will look to rectify it with a strong performance against a high-flying Cobh Ramblers.

The St. Colman’s Park side have been the form team in the league over the last 15 games as they fight for top spot, just four points off league leaders Dundalk.

And Mick McDermott’s side have won five of the last six meetings between the pair, so the home side will have a difficult battle up ahead on Friday night.

The Harps are in eighth place in the table and ten points off the final play-off position with 13 games to go, so it would take a huge run of form to get into that top half.

But Brogan, who has slotted in well with a couple of other new additions, is hopeful of getting the better of the high-flying Ramblers when they make the long trip up and kick-starting another good run.

“The likes of myself, Idir (Zerrouk) and Hans (Mpongo) are all really young but are working for the cause and we want to do well and Kevin has been looking for the right profile and adding to the quality that was already there.

“We know Cobh are second for a reason, so we’re going to need to up it again to get something out of it.

“They have a lot of good quality and they’re on a good run, but all good runs have to come to an end so hopefully we can do that this weekend.”