DECLAN Boyle knows a thing or two about north-west derby clashes between Finn Harps and Derry City - and what they mean to both clubs.
He has enjoyed the highs and lows from being involved in both camps, and given the recent good form of both teams is eagerly awaiting tomorrow night's FAI Cup second round clash between the arch rivals in Ballybofey.
The Killybegs native had been captain of Celtic reserves but having been unable to break through at Parkhead into the first team returned to Ireland and signed for Derry City, helping them to the League of Ireland Premier Division title in the 1996/97 season.
The following year, he was on the Harps side that created history as a sole Donal O’Brien goal enabled them to beat the Candystripes for the first time ever in the league.
Since entering the league in 1985, Derry had effectively chomped up Harps on countless occasions.
He recalls that “special night” and was fully aware of just what it meant to the Harps fans.
The underdogs had finally got one over their neighbours.
Little did anyone suspect that the next Harps success over Derry would not come until the start of the 2016 Premier Division campaign when the Ballybofey side triumphed 2-1 in front of a capacity crowd of 4,400.
It was a first win over the old enemy under the management of OIlie Horgan, who has since gone on to be Harps’ most successful boss against the Foylesiders.
Horgan presided over three more league wins (in 2017 and 2019) and another little bit of history was made earlier this year when Harps won 2-1 as they notched up their first ever league victory at the Brandywell venue.
“Harps have done really well under Ollie against Derry,” he says.
Although he is the Sligo Rovers U19 coach, Boyle gets to most Harps home games, and a fair few away - often being a match analyst for Donegal’s Highland Radio.
While Harps had a blip during the earlier part of the summer, he was very encouraged by their 3-1 win over second placed St Patrick’s Athletic last week.
The Ballybofey men have now won four on the bounce, including their FAI Cup win in the last round over Limerick junior side Fairview Rangers.
Derry go into the match with four successive league wins.
“This is going to be a very difficult game for both teams. Derry have been excellent in recent weeks but if Harps can play as well as they did against St. Pat’s, they can do it.”
Boyle was very impressed with hat-trick hero Tunde Owolabi against St Pat’s.
“It’s no exaggeration to say he could have had five. It was as good a performance as I have seen for a long, long time, with his overall play, his finishing and composure. They were three really good goals and hopefully he can reproduce that against Derry. He does give Harps that X-factor up top.”
When the sides last met, City emerged victorious from their short trip across the border with a 2-1 win.
Harps are still looking anxiously at the sides around them in the battle to stay up, and few pundits are unlikely to part with too much on them at their local bookies.
Nevertheless, as Boyle points out, confidence comes with winning and Horgan’s side would certainly like to keep the recent momentum going.
This will be the 76th competitive meeting between the sides, and Harps have won just nine of them.
Due to Covid-19 restrictions the attendance at Finn Park is capped at 800 - with Derry getting 10 per cent of the ticket allocation.
