Talking Harps - Conor Gethins

June 14, 2007

- By Chris McNulty (Donegal News)

WHILE many a doubt has been cast in recent times - with reason too I may add - over the merits of tipping Finn Harps Football Club to be in the hunt for promotion out of the eircom League of Ireland First Division come the end of the year, there are those of us who merely brush those doubts aside.

We argue, quite fervently indeed, that we are most certainly well placed to make an assault on the top teams. At the time of writing, we are enjoying the mid-season break on the back of wins over Monaghan United and Limerick 37.

We are ten points adrift of the play-offs. We have a game in hand. Writing us off, the table suggests, would be an act of severe stupidity. The performances over the course of the past couple of months add substance to the notion.

Lifford man Conor Gethins does not even entertain the suggestion that Harps will be playing their trade in the lower tier for much longer. Under the stewardship of Paul Hegarty, the former Ross County man reckons that the Finnside brigade are a sure bet to be back among the big boys of the eL before too long.

While one cannot guarantee anything in football, such is its unpredictability, Gethins feels that, barring a continuation of the bad luck that has thus far hampered season 2007, the deficit can be clawed back and the sharp-shooter from Lifford even has Dundalk in his sights.

“I like working with Paul (Hegarty) and I think if he is here for two years we will be up in that time. I could nearly guarantee that,” he commented.

“If we play like we did against Limerick, I don't think any team could live with us. We could have hit another three or four that night.

“There's plenty to play for. We'll definitely make the play-offs. I know that for a fact. We are too experienced - we have a load of players with experience of playing across the water in England and I reckon there are quite a few players here who could walk onto any Premier Division side.

“I know some people say that Dundalk are too far ahead and that we can't catch them, but I think we can. We still have 60 or so points to play for. Dundalk don't lose many games, in fairness to them, but they do draw quite a few, so we can still get them if we get on a run.”

The past couple of months have been difficult and trying for the loyal faithful of the Finn Park terrace. At the turn of the campaign, all was rosy in the Finn Park garden as the dreams of promotion began to take shape.

New manager Paul Hegarty brought a new air of belief to the club and his signings instilled a new-found optimism in the hearts of the supporters. However, Lady Luck just wasn't piping the same tune and so she once again made sure that a bumpy ride was in store.

So where exactly has the points been lost this campaign? According to Gethins, the new faces - of which he could be classed among as he returned from a loan spell at Galway United - were always going to take some time to settle into the new surroundings.

“I think what it was, was that we thought everything would fall into place after Paul came in,” he commented.

“We now realise that we have to just push on and we can't afford to drop too many points. We knew that we had to win those last two games against Monaghan and Limerick and we did that. If we hadn't done that, we could have kissed goodbye to our hopes, but we can go on from here now.

“There were a lot of new faces at the start of the season. There are two new faces in the backline, nearly the whole midfield is new and there are a couple of new strikers in the squad as well.

“I think it was always going to take a wee bit of time to realise what the strengths were and I think we will show that we are beginning to click from her on in.”

And, he feels that the criticism of his strike partner Stephen Parkhouse over the last few matches has been unfair on the big Derry man. Parkhouse came in for some stick in particular in the away game against Monaghan, but answered the critics with a late goal.

“I think he's scored something like four goals in eight or nine starts and that's not bad shooting in fairness. At the start, people seemed to think that “Parky” was a bit of a clown, but now I think that they can see he's starting to work hard. Against Monaghan and Limerick he helped a lot and he helps me, which, in the long run, will help the team.

“You can see in training that he really has class. He really has. He would do things that other people wouldn't even think about and it does annoy me that he has been getting grief.”

Gethins (23) is in his third term at Finn Park although he has made only fleeting appear in his previous two seasons. He became Anthony Gorman's first signing as manager of the club when he took over in the Autumn of 2005 and scored two goals in a handful of appearances.

He had previously been playing for Ross County in Scotland here he made his name, being quite a regular fixture in the scoresheet.

Upon his return to Donegal after leaving Ross County, Conor put pen to paper with Harps and, after the disappointment of the relegation in '05, he was heralded as the man who would replace Kevin McHugh and shoot Harps back to the promised land of the Premier Division.

Four goals in a 5-2 win in Harps' first game of last season suggested that all would be well, but an injury then kept Conor out of the side for a while. Harps' indifferent form led to a reduction in attendances and around 12months ago, the entire first team squad was put up for sale.

Conor departed for the shores of the Corrib as Tony Cousins came in to take him to Galway United on a loan deal while Chris Breen headed for Shamrock Rovers on a similar deal as the financial crisis began taking its toll in Ballybofey.

“I was disappointed in the way that it happened. I was disappointed that I was let go so easily,” he remembers somewhat regretfully, but he notes that his time with the Tribesmen was an enjoyable one.

“I knew that I had a challenge on my hands because we had played them a couple of times in the first month or two of the season. I always like a challenge though and I knew that I would have to fight for my place in the team. Galway had players like Murphy, O'Dowd, Moran and Goldbey and I knew that I would have a fight, as I was the new kid in the side.”

After a successful spell at the westerners, Galway boss Tony Cousins sought the services of the Lifford native for this season's Premier Division campaign, but seeing Paul Hegarty take the reigns at Finn Park was enough to convince Conor of the destination for season 2007.

“I really enjoyed it at Galway last year, I have to say. Out in Salthill Devon, they have a top class training base and Tony Cousins is a really professional manager,” he said.

“Part of me, I admit, did want to stay but, as I had a year left on my contract at Harps, I though I would give “Higgsy” a fair chance. I knew that he put his heart and soul into everything that he did, so I though I should give him the chance.

“I knew that it would all well organised and the preparation would be top class when Paul Hegarty came in. Tony Cousins had spoken to Paul and it was agreed that I would be staying at Harps. I was excited about staying at Harps because I knew that Paul gave his all, no matter what he does.”

And, the season has gone reasonably well, says Conor and he is looking forward now to the side answering the dissenting voices who have written off promotion and he says that the strength in depth at Hegarty's disposal will be crucial in the months ahead.

“I think we've done really, really well and we just haven't been getting any luck so far this season. We've been conceding the odd sloppy goal and, at the same time, haven't been putting away chances at the other end,” says Conor.

“We have serious strength in the squad though. A few weeks ago, I think it was against Athlone, the bench was myself, Gavin Cullen, ‘Parky,' Simms and Barry Curran. Anyone of those boys could do a job for you no bother and it shows that Paul isn't afraid to drop people if they're not performing.

“Take Shaun McGowan there. He wasn't in the squad for a few weeks and he's started the last few games and has been outstanding. We do have great strength and you'd think it would take its toll on other teams because they wouldn't be as strong.

“We've made it our aim to take it just one game at a time,” he sensibly adds.

Conor also notes that the training this season has been first class and is high in praise of assistant manager, Marty McCann, for his endeavours on the training field.

“Marty is the life and soul of the place,” he says “he's a funny guy and if you do get sloppy in training, he'll make sure you're pulled up. I've never had training like it in a long time.

“The training from Marty and Paul is really top notch. It has been at 110 miles an hour stuff all the time and it's definitely been a case of enjoying it. If you weren't enjoying it, I don't think it would go as well.”

So, as we face into the unknown with a fair portion of the season left to play, Conor Gethins confirms what the optimists have been preaching over the last few weeks.

All is not lost and the season will be rescued. And, no doubt, should a rise up the ladder ensue, this confident Lifford man will make a rise up the goalscoring charts as we do it.