Finn Harps F.C.
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| Full name | Finn Harps Football Club |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | The Harps, Blue and white army. |
| Founded | 1954 |
| Ground |
Finn Park, Ballybofey, County Donegal |
| Capacity | 6,000 (400 seated) - Restricted to 4,200 safe capacity. |
| Chairman | Sean Quinn |
| Manager | Ollie Horgan |
| League | League of Ireland Premier Division |
| 2016 | League of Ireland Premier Division, 10th |
| Website | Club home page |
Finn Harps Football Club (Irish: Cumann Peile Chláirsigh na Finne) are an Irish football club playing in the Premier Division of the League of Ireland. The club was founded in 1954 and elected to the league in 1969. They hail from Ballybofey, County Donegal and play their home matches at Finn Park. The club's colours are blue and white, and they go by the nickname the Harps. The main successes of the club include winning an FAI Cup in 1973–74 and the First Division title in 2004.
Finn Harps share a local rivalry with Derry City with whom they contest the Northwest Derby.
Finn Harps was formed in 1954 as a junior club. The club's name derives from the river that runs through Ballybofey — the River Finn — and a traditional Irish symbol — the harp. They first came to national prominence by winning the 1968 FAI Junior Cup. This enabled them to compete in the 1969 FAI Intermediate Cup. After they were knocked out of that competition, club directors Fran Fields and Patsy McGowan decided to apply to the League of Ireland for membership. The club was admitted into the senior ranks in May 1969 and played their first senior game against Shamrock Rovers on 17 August 1969. They lost the game 10–2. After initial worries that the club were not of sufficient standard the club became a considerable force during the 1970s.
Finn Harps won their first senior trophy, the Dublin City Cup, in 1971–72, after a goal from club legend and all time League of Ireland record goalscorer Brendan Bradley defeated Cork Hibernians at Dalymount Park. Two years later, Dalymount Park was again the scene of the club's only FAI Cup win. Two goals from Brendan Bradley and one by Charlie Ferry saw off the challenge of St. Patrick's Athletic. Finn Harps qualified for European competitions on four occasions during the 1970s. They appeared in the UEFA Cup three times against Aberdeen, Derby County and Everton respectively after finishing as runners-up in the league, and once in the European Cup Winners Cup, where they played Turkish Cup winners, Bursaspor. The club was again runner-up in the League of Ireland Cup finals of 1974 and 1975 to Waterford and Bohemians respectively. Through the 1970s, the club never once finished in the bottom half of the table and were widely respected for their attractive and attacking football style.
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