Glory and grief: Finn Harps and Cork have shared some epic FAI Cup ties 

When Finn Harps first faced a Cork outfit - the since-departed Cork Hibernians - in the FAI Senior Cup, a manic 10 days in March 1971 saw the teams clash three times.

There was everything from triumph to tragedy across that spell, with three young Harps fans from south-west Donegal losing their lives as they made their way home from the first replay at Finn Park

It was only Finn Harps’ second time in the FAI Senior Cup and the magic of the cup was in the air when Patsy McGowan’s side was paired with Cork Hibs, who led the league at the time.

A huge 15,000 crowd packed into Flower Lodge to see the first instalment.

A special train was put on from Sligo with over 600 Harps fans piling on for the journey to Leeside. Estimates say that some 1,500 Harps fans were in Flower Lodge for the 2-2 draw. 

Earlier that year, Hugh McClean and the Blue Glows recorded a song, written by Fergus Cleary, which was sung loudly by the hundreds of Harps followers in Cork. It was the first proper outing of The Finn Harps Song. 

Donal O'Brien celebrates scoring the winner for Finn Harps against Cork City in 1999.

Brendan Bradley scored twice to put Harps 2-0 up only for Brian Connolly and Tony Marsden to force a replay.

Sean Coyle fractured a shin bone in the game and missed the replay, which drew a record crowd to Finn Park for the replay on St Patrick’s Day, 1971.

The afternoon kick-off saw Harps take gate receipts of £2,048. That was the official figure with wily Harps officials said to have opened a side gate to sneak in some supporters and ensure that Cork Hibs didn’t quite get their full share of gate receipts.

In his autobiography, ‘The Strings of my Harps’, McGowan mentions the gate receipts “plus the lost bag”. Somewhere between 8,000 and 10,000 fans packed into Finn Park to see a 2-2 draw; it remains the biggest crowd ever in the venue for a competitive game.

Harps fans were dreaming when Joe Nicholl fired them ahead, but Marsden levelled things up six minutes later. Late in the game, Bradley looked to have won it and some still say his effort, clawed away by ‘keeper Joe O’Grady, was over the line. 

Tragedy struck on the roads that evening as three people lost their lives in a horrific crash on their way home from the game.

Cyril Kearney, a 25-year-old native of Ballyhaunis who was living in Dunkineely and working in a factory in Kilcar, was killed in the collision at Drumbigh, Mountcharles, as was Charles Dawson, a 21-year-old farmer from Dunkineely. A 12-year-old boy, Christopher Byrne from Dunkineely, died from injuries in the Sheil Hospital in Ballyshannon. 

Eight others were hospitalised and the Coroner for South Donegal, Dr Michael O’Boyle, said it was the worst crash he had known in his years in the role.

On March 24, under the floodlights at Dalymount Park, Cork Hibs hammered Harps 5-0 to shatter their Cup dreams. It was the first time for Harps to play under floodlights and Cork advanced through goals by Dave Wigginton, Miah Dennehy, Terry Young (2) and Tony Marsden.

Jonathan Speake in action for Finn Harps against Cork City in 2002

In 1975, Harps’ reign as FAI Cup holders was ended by Cork Hibs, who defeated them 4-0 at Flower Lodge.

Last year, a goal from Malik Dijksteel gave Cork a 1-0 win over Harps in the second round of the Cup.

In 1999, on their way to the FAI Cup final, Harps defeated Cork City in a replay. After a 0-0 draw at Turner’s Cross, Donal O’Brien scored a late winner at Finn Park.

Read next: ‘Massive loss’: Key pair absent as Finn Harps host Cork in Cup quarter-final

There were also replays in 2002 and 2005. In ’02 - in a quarter-final - Jonathan Minnock scored a cracker, but missed a penalty in a 1-1 draw before Cork won 2-0 in the replay.

Two years later, after a 0-0 draw in Cork, Chris Breen and Eloka Asokuh netted only for Cork to win the replay 3-2 after extra time, Roy O’Donovan netting a winner with penalties looming.