Ollie Horgan
Oliver Horgan was an Irish football manager. He was the manager of Finn Harps from November 2013 to November 2022. Horgan previously managed the Republic of Ireland national schoolboy football team and was assistant manager at Galway United.
Early life
A native of Salthill, Horgan played for Salthill Devon before moving to Fanad in 1989 to teach in St. Eunan's College. He joined Fanad United as a player and won the Ulster Senior League as well as the FAI Intermediate Cup in 1995.Managerial career
Fanad United
Horgan started his managerial career with Fanad United in the Ulster Senior League, leading to three titles. Horgan also won the Ulster Senior League Cup with Fanad in 2011. Fanad entered an under-19 team into the inaugural 2011 season, and Horgan took charge of the side until he departed from the club to join Finn Harps in 2013.Finn Harps
On 26 November 2013, Horgan was appointed the surprise successor to Peter Hutton as Finn Harps' new manager for the 2014 season. 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.In his first season as a League of Ireland manager, Horgan spent the year consolidating and ensuring 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. 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.
However, the game didn't go according to plan, and underdogs Harps suffered a heavy 6–1 defeat against their opponents in front of the RTÉ cameras.
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, ending by a narrow 1–0 defeat away to Athlone Town on 5 June. However, Harps recovered from this and reached 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. Harps came from a goal behind in the first leg tie in Markets Field to win dramatically at Finn Park via a last minute BJ Banda winner, 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 2017.
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 Horgan's future as Harps manager. Still, with issues resolved between the board and manager, Horgan signed a new two-year deal with an option of an extra year, with his first challenge assembling a squad that can compete for promotion in 2018.
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 Harps secured promotion to the Premier Division, winning both legs of the playoff and holding Limerick scoreless. In the 2019 League of Ireland Premier Division Finn harps finished in 9th place qualifying for the relegation playoff in which they faced Drogheda United, Following a 1–0 defeat at United Park, Finn harps performed a massive comeback to survive relegation from the Premier Division in a dramatic game which went into extra time beating Drogheda 2–0 at Finn Park with a 107th-minute goal by Harry Ascroft.
In the 2020 League of Ireland Premier Division, Finn Harps finished in 8th place, avoiding the relegation play-offs by 1 point. COVID-19 disrupted this season, so teams played half the games, 18 instead of the usual 36. The relegation went down to the final day with a 1–0 victory against Waterford, securing their status in the premier division over Shelbourne, who finished 9th and lost their play-off to Longford Town. Finn Harps started the 2021 League of Ireland Premier Division Season well, being in first place for periods; however, late form saw them drop off to the threat of the relegation play-off. However, on the season's Final Day, they beat Longford 5–0 and retained their Premier Division Status for the 2022 season.
Following relegation from the Premier Division, it was announced in November 2022 that Horgan had left the club by mutual consent, after nine years at Finn Park.
Galway United (Assistant Manager)
On 14 December 2022, Horgan was appointed assistant manager at First Division club Galway United, his hometown club. On 9 August 2025, Horgan departed the club.Personal life and death
Horgan was a schoolteacher by profession, working as a physical education teacher at St Eunan's College in Letterkenny. A pianist, originally from Galway, he was interested in Bach and Beethoven.Horgan died on 28 August 2025, after a battle with cancer, at the age of 57. Upon his death, President of Ireland Michael D. Higgins paid tribute to Horgan, stating "It is with great sadness that I have learnt of the death of Ollie Horgan. Ollie was one of the most respected and popular people in the League of Ireland. He will be warmly remembered for his wonderful management and intense passion for the game, in particular during his near decade-long spell as manager of Finn Harps. More recently Ollie has played a key role, working as assistant to John Caulfield, in the successful recent seasons of Galway United, only leaving his role in recent weeks due to the health challenges he was facing. He will be deeply missed by the whole League of Ireland community. May I express my deepest sympathy and condolences to Ollie's wife Anita, his children Emma, Anthony, Brendan, Conor and David, to all of his family who have made such an extraordinary contribution to the game, and to all of his players, colleagues, friends and fans throughout the country."
Nationwide tributes were paid and President Michael D. Higgins attended Horgan's funeral.
Managerial statistics
- 1.Includes all competitions.