Promotion/Relegation play off

[ForzaForth]

Huge congratulations to Harps on their promotion. Looked like a fantastic night in Ballybofey.

[Sam_Heggy]

https://www.facebook.com/finnharps.u...5296854347964/

https://www.facebook.com/finnharps.u...5001597710823/

No idea how to embed videos onto the forum but here's both Harps goals from last night.

[Olander]

https://www.facebook.com/finnharps.u...5296854347964/

Clear your lines Kanyuka... jesus christ. Horrendous defending

[jinxy lilywhite]

The play off was lost in the first tie at home. I always thought you needed a two goal lead going to Finn Park.

Harps punished you were you are weak, defenders trying to play too much ball.

While I congratulate Harps, the division will be poorer without Limerick. I'll get slammed for this, but Harps and Wexford add nothing to the division.

Limerick or Drogheda didn't earn the right to stay in the PD. Wexford and Harps have. It doesn't matter how much potential support a club has it is how the teams play. Limerick got what they deserved. It might of been a great escape with 10 or 12 games but they left themselves with too much to do and deserve what they got.

Btw Wexford and harps offer a great geographical spread now to the pd


Congratulations to harps. Always loved going to Ballybofey although my last journey was a heart breaking play off defeat.

[Martinho II]

I am so delighted for the harps lads. They will be a super addition in the top flight! Really looking forward again to visiting Sligo,Derry and Ballybofey again like last season. One of the harder games for us was the cup match v Harps.

[oriel]

Just re-thinking an earlier post. I had absolutely no right to say 'I possibly would agree Limerick would have taken more to the PD'

That was disrespectful to the massive hard work and to everyone involved with Finn Harps FC on their achievement in getting promoted.

I touched on the fact earlier they had to go through two additional play off games, they deserved this and they should be rightly congratulated for their hard work.

Welcome to the PD guys.

[nigel-harps1954]

That was disrespectful to the massive hard work and to everyone involved with Finn Harps FC on their achievement in getting promoted.
.

This bit right here.

The work behind the scenes at Harps this year is something completely unheard of. Unbelievable.

To put it into perspective, Harps entire weekly budget was less than the weekly wage of Freddy Hall alone.

[nigel-harps1954]

No idea how to embed videos onto the forum but here's both Harps goals from last night.

Stick them inside [(fb)]Facebook video URL code, ie, in the instance of the first 425296854347964[(/fb)] (without the brackets) similar to that of a quote. If any of that makes sense.

[Jofspring]

This bit right here.

The work behind the scenes at Harps this year is something completely unheard of. Unbelievable.

To put it into perspective, Harps entire weekly budget was less than the weekly wage of Freddy Hall alone.

How would you know what Freddy Hall was on per week?

[nigel-harps1954]

How would you know what Freddy Hall was on per week?

I don't. But apparently Shaun Kelly does.

[Jofspring]

I don't. But apparently Shaun Kelly does.

I've always been of the opinion the only people that truely know what wages a player is on are the ones that physically see the signed contract. Outside of that it is complete hearsay, even if it's talk from the player themselves. I've had players say they are on 500, the club say 300, a guy on the street say he heard 400, another fella say he heard 1,000.

[total hoofball]

I always read on this forum fans saying their clubs budget is no more than 'X amount or we pay no more than 'X' amount to their players, then I hear from people within LOI what is really being paid at clubs (always higher) and it contradicts what is said on places like here, from experience the information from people within LOI is very reliable. Like my experiences in the workplace, you hear all the rumours & speculation of what certain people are getting paid and it usually turns out to be true. Most people don't spoof about wages from my experience.


Congrats to Harps BTW. Didn't see them pulling it off at all. Horgan has done a commendable job with them but I think they along with Wexford will have to strengthen considerably if they want to finish anything above 11th spot next season.

[oriel]

Some crowd behind the goal in Finn Park, also that was a great second reaction by Banda for the goal, often a player gives up when the first chance is missed, he got right back into position. Brilliant finish, decent cross too.

[da bishop]

a very disappointed limk fan ,however congrats to Harps ,a great club ,real football people up there who have kept going despite many problems down the years...a fitting reward for you all.

[thomas72]

Congratulations finn harps great club.

As for Limerick gutted all we can do is try to hold onto as many of our players as possible it will be tough no doubt.
Awful pity with the new stadium we couldn't stay in the league if we got into the markets field like we were supposed to at the start of the season iv no doubt we would of survived jackman park and 378 people looking on was a disaster awful facilities couldn't even fit the squad into the dressing rooms.

When we moved back to the markets field suddenly after about a month crowds starting turning up 2.5k turning up to watch bottom team in the league form started from there.

[Jofspring]

If the club knew we would have between 1,000-1,200 people in the gate every week then we would be likely to have the biggest budget in the league and most likely to come straight back up. It's a big gamble though and we will have to wait and see if these other investors are still interested.

[brendy_éire]

Limerick fans were superb, great atmosphere. Finn Park was rocking. That would have been a superb advert for LOI if it had of been on TV.

I'll put this overly positive assessment down to promotion-induced glee.
The game itself was ok. First half was enjoyable enough. Took Harps a wee while to come into the game, but did so after 20 minutes. Limerick seemed to have only one tactic, this is to play the ball down the wings and try a ball over the top. Almost came off a few times, but for their atrocious shooting. Really was some poor finishing.
Harps' fitness really let them down from 70 minutes onwards. Surprised that Limerick seemed afraid to really push on in the latter stages of the second half. Harps were obviously playing for time at that point, allowing Limerick to get to the final third of the pitch usually unchallenged. But both teams looked very cagey, and it hurt the game as a spectacle.
In ET, Harps players were wrecked. The fitness gap between the divisions became really apparent, only the subs seemed capable to putting a run together.
I'd also add that maybe half of Finn Park was rocking. Very little noise from the side I was on (TV gantry side). To be fair though, there were loads of Derry ones in that side, along with people who clearly hadn't been to a soccer match in a quite a while ("Isn't it great ye get 45 minutes a half in soccer, instead of 35.", I overheard). Though that's exactly the sort of ones you'll want to get going to Finn Park. If Harps were to do alright next season, would 1,500 a game be out of the question?

Whilst I've enjoyed having Limerick in the Premier, I was delighted with the result. It's great to have Harps back up, pure handy trip for us, big crowds, nine points. Belter.

[Neish]

While I congratulate Harps, the division will be poorer without Limerick. I'll get slammed for this, but Harps and Wexford add nothing to the division.

Explain what Limerick add that Harps and Wexford can't? I'll give you both Finn Park and Ferrycarrig are not as good as Markets field, but Limerick only spent half a season there, Jackman Park is no better then either Finn Park or Ferrycarrig and renting Thomond was never going to work out.

[Neish]

I'll put this overly positive assessment down to promotion-induced glee.

I'd also add that maybe half of Finn Park was rocking. Very little noise from the side I was on (TV gantry side). To be fair though, there were loads of Derry ones in that side, along with people who clearly hadn't been to a soccer match in a quite a while ("Isn't it great ye get 45 minutes a half in soccer, instead of 35.", I overheard). Though that's exactly the sort of ones you'll want to get going to Finn Park. If Harps were to do alright next season, would 1,500 a game be out of the question?

.

Would not argue there not much noise came from that side tbh. But as you say thats were many of the none regulars were, thought shed side(both Harps and Limerick) created great atmosphere as did Town end. In the away leg it was similar the Lim fan at the back of the stand were great but very little noise from the rest of home support, there were about 50 Limerick fans in the away end very few of who made any noise apart from when Kelly scored.

Would also add that in the games I saw on TV and on soccer republic the Brandywell was not a hive of atmosphere for much of the season either

[osarusan]

Limerick seemed to have only one tactic, this is to play the ball down the wings and try a ball over the top.

Martin Russell has been rumbled!!

In fairness, Horgan got his tactics spot on. Doubled up on our wingers Clarke and Turner, defended deep when we had the ball. No space wide or in behind us - so many balls over the top went out for goal kicks.

Perfectly happy to let us come into their half with it and didn't challenge, just happy to let us pass in front of them,and keep their shape instead, which they did well all night.

We seemed to be allergic to simply knocking the ball into the box - even when Tracy or Kelly had chances to do so, they insisted in trying a one-two or something like that. Always overplayed it.