Harkin joins Harps; O'Donnell out for season
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Finn Harps director of football Felix Healy says new signing Matt Harkin can be a boost to his squad.
The 20-year-old right winger signed for the Finn Park outfit last week and Healy believes the situation at Harkin’s former club Derry City is a benefit to the Ballybofey side.
“Matt is one of those guys who did well with the Derry City U-19 team and I know he is very well thought of in Derry,” Healy said. “Technically he’s very good but like a number of players in Derry he became a little frustrated with the lack of first team opportunities. That’s understandable with the Derry first team doing quite well at the minute but we’re glad to have him on board."
Sligo native Darragh Healy last week left Harps but Healy expects to have former striker Chris Breen back at the club at the end of the month. Breen, who was undertaking a green-keeping course at Douglas Golf Club in Cork, flew to Sweden for three weeks work yesterday but will feature for Harps on his return.
“Chrissy trained with us last week and was in good shape. Obviously he will need to tone up a little bit more on his return from Sweden but he’s a good player that will offer us more options.”
Harps last week received bad news as striker Stephen O'Donnell was ruled out for the season after an MRI scan revealed he had a grade one cruciate tear.
“Last week we learned we have lost Stephen O’Donnell for the whole season as a result of a cruciate injury and that’s certainly a blow. I’ve said it a couple of times, players like Stephen and Keith Cowan (who is currently out with a broken foot) give us some presence and physicality."
