Ollie Horgan would have been looking down and been proud tonight - Kevin McHugh

Kevin McHugh says his Finn Harps side rolled up their sleeves when it was really needed on an emotional night in Ballybofey as they just about squeezed out play-off rivals Treaty United. 

With League of Ireland legend and former Harps boss Ollie Horgan passing away on Thursday, a sizeable crowd turned up as both sides paid their respects prior to kick-off. 

READ NEXT: Finn Harps honour Ollie Horgan in best possible fashion with three huge points 

When the action got going, Hans Mpongo’s rich vein of scoring form continued and, in the end, it was his 26th-minute breakthrough that made all the difference. 

Reflecting on how his side, with their backs to the wall at certain stages, withstood Treaty pressure, including nine nervy minutes of added time; McUHgh says it was the type of grit that made Horgan’s Harps so hard to beat. 

“Myself and Tommy played under Ollie, said McHugh. “We all know Ollie - he was just a top fella. What he did for football in this county, over the last 20 or so years, it’s phenomenal. 

“As Tommy mentioned inside, that was a throw-back to an Ollie Horgan game. He’d be looking down and be very proud of how the lads fought for every ball, put their bodies on the line. 

“So Ollie was in our thoughts, before, during and after tonight’s game. 

“The length and breadth of the country and further afield, the tributes keep coming. Everyone knew Ollie. He was always watching football, he was relentless and never took a day off. 

“He’s going to be sorely missed by his family and in football terms, he’s going to be so missed as well”. 

McHugh admits that with the stakes so high at the weekend, that there was a palpable nervousness in the lead-in to Friday’s encounter. 

Having now reeled fifth-placed Treaty into just a single point in the First Division play-off race, McHugh says it was a real learning curve for his young players. 

“We were nervous and you could sense that in the warm-up. We probably knew that if Treaty took all three points, it would leave us with too much to do with seven games to go. 

“But after we got our goal we settled. We probably should have had a second before half-time and that would have killed the game.

“At 1-0, they were always in it. So it was just brilliant to hang in there and hang on. It was all about the three points tonight.

“It was a massive game and with what was at stake, it’s a huge learning curve for our young lads. To take that learning away and still get the three points, it’s a good night’s work”.