A soccer team, whose players train in another county, 25 miles away from their own ground, will become soccer pioneers on Sunday. They are Finn Harps, newly-elected members of the League of Ireland, who start their bid to put the dreamy little Co. Donegal town of Ballybofey - population 1,071 - on the soccer map.

A crowd of 8,000 soccer crazy fans from all parts of Donegal, where there has never been League football, is expected to travel to watch the ambitious newcomers tackle the mighty Shamrock Rovers.

It is a bold, imaginative touch of showmanship by League secretary Ted Dowling and his fixture makers to send Rovers to Donegal as trailblazers. I refuse to believe that this City Cup pairing was accidental. Rovers, the Manchester United of the South, are the greatest box office attraction in the League.

Why do Harps train away from home?
The answer is that the club has so many players from Derry that it is easier and more practical for the club officials to travel to Derry to conduct training sessions that it would be to bring all the players up to Ballybofey.

Of the team that shocked Derry City in a friendly at Finn Park last week, nine are Derrymen. The other two, winger Jim Barclay, and centre-half Jim McGarrigle, hail from Donegal and Strabane respectively. In additions, Harps have another dozen Derry boys on the books. So training takes place at the Brandywell showgrounds.

Most of the Harps men are ex-Derry City players. They include ex-Distillery goalkeeper John Young, full-back Stephen Harvey, half-backs Paddy Doherty and Paddy McGrory, and inside trio Brian Wright, Colm Norris and Jim McDermott (ex-Portadown).

Says Harps secretary, Patsy McGowan: "We are confident we will prove ourselves in senior football. We're lucky to have Shamrock Roves for our first game, and I hope Finn Park, which holds about 8,000, will be big enough to accommodate all who will want to see the game".

For two men the coming of Finn Harps has meant "comeback" chances - inside-right Brain Wright and centre-forward Colm Norris.

Wright made history by playing for Derry City in an Irish Cup Final in 1957 when only 15 1/2. Norris was attracting the cross-Channel scouts five years ago on City's left wing.

Now 28 year old Wright and 23 year old Norris are showing sparkling form for Harps and are determined to grab the "comeback" chance that has so unexpectedly landed in their laps.

NO HOLIDAY FOR BABES

Finn Harps are scheduled to report to a Co. Donegal holiday resort for special training prior to their game with Shamrock Rovers.

But the question now being asked is - how many will be able to get away from trouble-torn Derry in time? And even if the nine Derry-based players report to trainer Patsy McGowan on time how will they be affected by the events of the week?

This was club chairman Fran Fields biggest concern yesterday. He has no worries that there will be any trouble in Ballybofey. "We can only hope that the nervous tension of the week will not affect the performance of the team in our first big game", he said.

League of Ireland secretary Ted Dowling will attend. But it will hardly be necessary for him to give a full report on the game and ground conditions to the next league meeting on August 21.