League Preview: Waterford United -v- Finn Harps

The RSC will play host to the battle of the suspended managers, as Roddy Collins and Ollie Horgan will watch their respective sides face-off from the stands. Kick-off 7.45pm.

WATERFORD UNITED

Since taking charge of the Blues, Roddy Collins has only seen his new side win once in seven games. Last week's 4-0 reverse at the hands of Wexford Youths was the heaviest defeat suffered by Waterford this season and saw them remain at the foot of the First Division table for another week.

“It's disappointing, of course it is, to lose 4-0 but there was some good individual performances,” Collins told waterford-united.ie. “Shane Mackey I thought was absolutely excellent and Dan Pender did really well. Of course you don't want to be losing 4-0, of course you don't.

“It's a definite free-kick for the first goal,” added the former Bohemians and Derry City manager. “It's nothing to do with the outcome but it was the first goal and it changed the game totally. It's a blatant free-kick but instead the ball is in the back of the net and things change a little bit. The future is Finn Harps and we're still going to compete.”

Second-placed Harps will arrive in the RSC eager to replicate Youths' success in Ferrycarrig Park by taking all three points to remain on the league leaders' coat-tails. Waterford's recent history against the Ballybofey side isn't the best – the Suirsiders have lost the last four meetings with Harps having previously been unbeaten in their preceding nine clashes.

With an away trip to Dublin to take on seventh-placed Cabinteely and back-to-back home games against Shelbourne and Cobh Ramblers to come after this, Collins can be optimistic that the coming weeks present a genuine opportunity for the Blues to make some upward movement in the table.

However, Harps are the immediate challenge and Collins will have to plan for Friday's game without the injured Thomas Croke and Irish colleges team trio Dylan Mernagh, Matthew Connor and Brian Nolan who are at the University Games in South Korea.

FINN HARPS

Harps boss Ollie Horgan will be hoping that his side has come through its worst spell of the season having ended a three-game losing run with victory over Cabinteely in Finn Park last week.

Despite finally being succeeded at the top of the table by Wexford Youths, the damage to Harps' title challenge has been minimal, with the Donegal side just two points behind Shane Keegan's men in second place.

In truth, back-to-back games against the bottom two sides in the First Division was always going to present an ideal opportunity for Harps to get their form back on track. However, Horgan is taking nothing for granted against Waterford United.

“It was good to get the win, especially without playing that well, but Cabinteely have to take credit for that and have improved as the season has gone on,” Horgan told finnharps.com. “They were a threat with a few new exciting attacking players in their team. 

“It will be another tough game again on Friday [against Waterford]. But all the games have been tough so far and can go for or against you on any particular night so we know nothing will be easy got at the weekend.”

Horgan will have to plan without loanees Regan Donelon and Ruairi Keating who have both returned to parent club Sligo Rovers, while Packie Mailey is also unavailable. However, Keith Cowan is available for selection following suspension, while much is expected of new loan ranger Nathan Boyle from Derry City, a player Horgan was eager to sign at the start of the season before the deal collapsed.

Referee: David Keeler.

MATCH STATS

Since defeating Cabinteely 3-1 in Roddy Collins' first game in charge, Waterford United have gone five league games without scoring a goal.

In that five game goalless run, the Blues actually earned their first cleansheet of the season in a 0-0 draw with UCD at the RSC.

Having gone through the first 12 league games of the season unbeaten, Finn Harps have lost three of their last four, with last week's 1-0 win over Cabinteely in Ballybofey their first three points since a 3-2 victory over Cobh Ramblers at St. Colman's Park in mid-May.

The managers of both sides are suspended this evening.

BETTING

Waterford United 9/2; Draw 12/5; Finn Harps 8/13.

PREDICTION

0-1.

Waterford United

Injured: Thomas Croke.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: Roddy Collins (manager).

Unavailable: Dylan Mernagh, Matthew Connor, Brian Nolan.

Finn Harps

Injured: Packie Mailey.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: Ollie Horgan (manager).