Ollie Horgan

Oliver Horgan (born 17 February 1968) is an Irish football manager, who is the manager of Finn Harps in the League of Ireland Premier Division. Horgan has previously managed Fanad United and the Republic of Ireland national schoolboy football team.

Ollie Horgan
Personal information
Full name Ollie Horgan
Date of birth (1968-02-17) 17 February 1968
Place of birth Salthill , County Galway, Ireland
Teams managed
Years Team
2007–2013 Fanad United
2012– Republic of Ireland schoolboys
2013– Finn Harps

Management career

Fanad United

Horgan started his managerial career with Fanad United in the Ulster Senior League whom he led to three titles. Fanad entered an under-19 team into the inaugural 2011 season and Horgan took charge of the side until his departure from the club to join Finn Harps in 2013.[1]

Finn Harps

On 26 November 2013, Horgan was appointed as the surprise successor to Peter Hutton as Finn Harps new manager for the 2014 season.[2] Horgan's appointment came as a surprise to the sporting public of Donegal, with more high-profile candidates such as Joe Boyle, Don O'Riordan and Julian Dicks all confirmed to have been interested in the job.[3]

In his first season as a League of Ireland manager, Horgan spent the year consolidating and making sure Harps would build on a youthful squad. Despite a good start to the season, Harps ended the year disappointingly in fifth position, a full seventeen points away from a play-off place.[4] Despite the lack of success in the league, Horgan led Harps to a first FAI Cup semi-final appearance since an ill-fated run to the 1999 FAI Cup Final. Harps were drawn away to St Patrick's Athletic in Richmond Park[5] However, the game didn't go according to plan and underdogs Harps suffered a heavy 6–1 defeat to their opponents in front of the RTÉ cameras.[6]

The 2015 season, however, proved much more successful for Horgan's Harps. A positive start to the 2015 season saw his team unbeaten in the first twelve matches of the season, only ended by a narrow 1–0 defeat away to Athlone Town on 5 June.[7] However, Harps recovered from this and went on to reach the end of season play-off where they beat UCD over two legs in the First Division play-off to set up a play-off final date with Limerick who finished in 11th place in the League of Ireland Premier Division.[8] Harps came from a goal behind in the first leg tie in Markets Field[9] to win in dramatic fashion at Finn Park via a last minute BJ Banda winner,[10] thus sending Horgan into Harps folklore by going from First Division also-rans to Premier Division side on one of the lowest budgets in the club's history in the space of just two seasons.

In October 2016, Finn Harps extended Horgan's contract as senior team manager until the end of the 2017.[11]

Despite a promising start to the 2017 season, with wins over St Patrick's Athletic twice, Limerick, Bohemians, and a derby game in Maginn Park over Derry City, Harps late season run of form ended with a disappointing relegation back to the First Division for 2018 alongside Galway United and Drogheda United as the Football Association of Ireland changed structures again, relegating three teams from twelve to create two ten team divisions within the League of Ireland.

A period of uncertainty followed surrounding Horgans future as Harps manager but with issues resolved between board and manager, Horgan signed a new two-year deal with an option of an extra year with his first challenge assembling a squad who can compete for promotion in 2018.[12]

The 2018 season saw Finn Harps finish in second place, and beat Drogheda United to qualify for the promotion/relegation playoff. Limerick were again the opposition, and again Harps secured promotion to the Premier Division, winning both legs of the playoff and holding Limerick scoreless.

Managerial statistics
As of 20 November 2020 (UTC)
Team Nat From To Record
GWDLWin %
Finn Harps1 Ireland 1 March 2014 Present 278 96 62 120 034.53
Total 278 96 62 120 034.53
  • 1.^ Includes all competitive competitions.

Honours

Manager
Fanad United
Finn Harps

References
  1. "Horgan appointed Harps manager". Donegal News. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  2. "Harps confirm Horgan as new manager". Donegal Democrat. 26 November 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  3. "Julian Dicks confirms he's applied for Finn Harps job". Donegal News. 28 October 2013. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  4. "First Division Table 2014". Extratime.ie. 30 November 2014. Archived from the original on 17 February 2016. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  5. "Pats and Rovers gain home advantage in cup semi final". Irish Independent. 22 September 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  6. "Pats reach cup final". Irish Daily Mirror. 5 October 2014. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  7. "Harps unbeaten run comes to an end". Donegal Now. 5 June 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  8. "Harps beat Limerick to set up play-off final date". Goal. 31 October 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  9. "Kelly thunderbolt puts Limerick in driving seat". RTE. 3 November 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  10. "BJ Banda sends Harps to premier". RTE. 7 November 2015. Retrieved 23 January 2016.
  11. "Finn Harps manager extends his contract". donegalnews.com. 12 October 2016. Retrieved 25 October 2016.
  12. http://www.donegaldaily.com/2017/12/14/listen-ollie-horgan-on-why-he-opted-to-stay-at-finn-harps-and-plans-for-2018/
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