DARREN MURPHY IS the new Finn Harps head coach, the club have announced.

Murphy was assistant manager to Dave Rogers during the 2023 season, and took caretaker charge when he stepped down in September.

Harps — who finished ninth in the SSE Airtricity League First Division — confirmed Murphy was appointed following the advertisement of the job and interviewing of candidates.

He holds a Uefa Pro license and was previously head coach at Dungannon Swifts, having also been first-team coach at Linfield and Crusaders.

Murphy has experience of international football too. He has managed Northern Ireland international sides at U16, U17 and U19 levels, and acted as Elite Uefa Academy Coach and Elite Performance Coach for the Irish Football Association.

“We owed it to our shareholders, fans and commercial supporters to do a thorough review of the role, including advertising the job and interviewing candidates, having made the decision last year to appoint a full-time manager,” Finn Harps chairperson Ian Harkin said.

“We believe that decision to have been the right one and we are committed to a pathway of being a professionally run club both on the pitch and off it. Darren’s record both on the playing pitch and off it as a coach is very impressive. Having been in Ballybofey 12 months now, he has built a familiarity with our community, the league itself and the players at the club. We are committed to developing our own and we have seen some amazing talents flourish this year, these lads all have experience now and we are confident we can push on and be competitive in 2024.

“During the year we have tied down the best of the talent in Donegal and in the off season hopefully we can bring back some of those who are playing either in the county or outside it back to Finn Harps once again to represent our club. We have a massive year ahead from lots of angles, there is lots to be excited about in 2024, including our stadium. It is exciting watching our own develop into senior footballers, we have a number we believe have the potential to make it to the highest level.

“In five years time you want to be able to say, ‘I was there when he played for Harps’ and in development terms, they couldn’t be in better hands with Murph at the wheel.”

Murphy thanked Harkin and the board for this “fantastic opportunity” after an enjoyable six weeks as interim head coach.

“When the opportunity arose to take the role in a full-time capacity, it was something that I jumped at,” he added. “The reasons behind the decision for me were that I wanted to challenge myself, I wanted to challenge the players and the fact that I have really enjoyed the last 12 months working at Finn Harps Football Club.

“I am grateful to be given the chance to explore the opportunity even further. I have thoroughly enjoyed working with all the people around the club and most importantly, I have enjoyed working with the players. I would also like to acknowledge that the supporters and the people around Donegal have been fantastic to me since I arrived. I hope to confirm some appointments of my backroom team in the next short while.

“I am really looking forward to the challenge and what I would like to say to the Finn Harps fans is that I will give the role 100% and I will do the best that I can to put a team out on the pitch that they are proud of.”