Kevin McHugh

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This article is about the football player. For the pianist and composer, see Kevin McHugh (musician).
Kevin McHugh
Personal information
Full nameKevin McHugh
Date of birth (1980-01-19) 19 January 1980
Place of birthLetterkenny, Ireland
Height1.78 m (5 ft 10 in)
Playing positionForward
Club information
Current clubFinn Harps
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps†(Gls)†
1998–2005Finn Harps184(106)
2000→ Omagh Town (loan)8(3)
2006–2008Derry City88(12)
2009Linfield26(4)
2010-Finn Harps81(36)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only.
† Appearances (Goals).
McHugh playing for Derry City during the 2006 League of Ireland season

Kevin McHugh (Irish: Caoimhín MacAodha); born 19 January 1980 in Letterkenny, Ireland) is an Irish footballer currently with Finn Harps. He is considered one of Donegal's best-known sportstars.[1]

Career

McHugh was born in Letterkenny and raised in the border-town of Killea in County Donegal.

Finn Harps

McHugh scored and made his debut for Ballybofey-side, Finn Harps, against Fanad United in the League of Ireland Cup as just a novice 17 year old in August 1998. He went on to make 184 appearances for the side, building up a reputation as one of the deadliest forwards in the Irish game by scoring 110 league goals. In 2005, the striker became one of just five then-current players to join the 38-strong group of players to have scored 100 or more league goals in the modern era.

McHugh scored his 99th and 100th League of Ireland goals at Finn Park on the 22nd of October 2005 as Harps thrashed Longford 5-0 .

Despite the relegation of Finn Harps from the League of Ireland Premier Division, McHugh finished third highest scorer in the 2005 season with 13 goals. He attracted the attention of other clubs, including Shelbourne and Bohemians, before the beginning of the 2006 season.

Only Brendan Bradley has scored more goals than McHugh for Finn Harps. In his first spell at the club, the Killea man scored 122 goals in 248 games for Harps and was top scorer for the club in six successive seasons from 2000/01 until he left Finn Park in 2005.

He was top scorer in the First Division three times in a row with Harps.[2]

Derry City

McHugh had a mixed first season at the Brandywell, and by his own high standards was probably disappointed by his performances. He struggled to break up the Beckett-Farren partnership up front and often found himself deployed on the right wing by Stephen Kenny. His hard work and tireless running there meant he quickly won over the City faithful, despite his long history with local rivals, Harps. McHugh managed to get on target six times in the 2006 season and performed particularly impressively in Derry's 2006–07 UEFA Cup ties.

Linfield

Kevin McHugh signed a two and a half year contract with Linfield in January 2009.[3] Kevin scored his first Linfield goal on his first start with a last gasp winner at home to Institute. He had a set back at the start of the next season, with a serious hamstring injury. This left him sidelined for over 4 months, never recovered and left and returned to Finn Park for their preseason.[4]

Return to Finn Harps

McHugh signed back for Harps in February 2010 [5]

In his first three seasons back with the Ballybofey club he has scored 36 goals, 12 in his first season, 11 in his second and 13 goals in 2012 making him ninth in the all-time League of Ireland goalscoring list with 154 league goals.

His testimonial was contested by a Donegal GAA select and a Finn Harps select at Finn Park, with one half Gaelic football and the other half soccer.[1]

Trivia

  • As of the end of the 2012 season, Kevin is ninth in the all-time League of Ireland goalscoring list with 154 league goals.[2]

Honours

Individual

Top Scorer 2001/02, 2002/03, 2004

See also

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 "Soccer and GAA join forces to give sportstar McHugh a unique testimonial game". Donegal Daily. 13 November 2012. Retrieved 13 November 2012. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.rsssf.com/tablesi/iertops.html
  3. ↑ http://www.linfieldfc.com/latestnews.asp?nid=3656
  4. ↑ http://linfieldfc.com/matchreport.asp?mid=512
  5. ↑ http://www.finnharps.com/News/100211McHughGorman.htm

External links

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