Keeping it simple the key for Healy
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Article originally appeared in the Donegal Democrat newspaper
Finn Harps director of football Felix Healy revealed doing to simple things right was the key to overcoming nine-man SD Galway in Ballybofey on Friday.
The 3-0 win moves Harps up to fourth place in the Airtricity League Division One table after the visitors saw Mike Gilmore and Nicky Curran sent off early on and from then on it was a question of composure for the Ballybofey side.
Goals from Adam Clarke, Blain Curtis and a Kevin McHugh penalty sealed the routine win.
“When we tried to be too clever we fell down,” Healy said of a scoreless first 45 minutes. “Sometimes when you have too many young players they try to over-elaborate then things can get complicated. Football is a simple game.
“If two players for Harps were sent off for what they were sent off for then I would be really disappointed. I’m sure Tony Mannion is very disappointed.”
Healy took no glory in the westerners’ numerical problems and admitted it took his own players a little time to negotiate their way to the three points.
“I never liked playing against 10 men and we didn’t start the game particularly well,” he added. “The sending off upset the whole rhythm of the match and then when another guy gets sent off it throws everything into disarray.
“Footballers are trained to play one way and be in particular areas and a number of lads found that difficult to begin with but in the second half we were much better.
We passed it better and once we got the first, the second was always going to kill it off.”
Harps are back in action on Bank Holiday Monday when they make the short trip into the Brandywell to take on Derry City in the EA Sports Cup (2pm).
“We’re not going to win the league cup but we’ll give it a real go in Derry,” Healy added. “We’re not going to win the league cup because it would take a miracle and they don’t happen that often.
“We had some great camaraderie last weekend after the win in Waterford and people were buzzing and talking about Derry - and not SD Galway. We had to focus the players. We’ll approach Derry like any other game of course but for me, Longford Town away is more important next Saturday. They had a good win in Limerick and have made a great start to the season.”
Article originally appeared in the Donegal Democrat newspaper
