League Preview: Finn Harps -v- Shelbourne

FINN HARPS

Having gone through the first 12 games of the season unbeaten, Finn Harps have lost five of their last nine and in the process lost their lead at the top of the First Division table. Before losing for the first time in the league in 2015 against Athlone Town in early June, Harps were nine points clear of second-placed Wexford Youths.

Last week's 2-0 reverse to Youths at Ferrycarrig Park saw the Ballybofey side drop into second place, two points behind their promotion rivals. Goal-shy Harps now run the risk of being pulled out of the top two by either in-form UCD or next opponents Shelbourne and boss Ollie Horgan knows his side needs to improve at both ends of the pitch.

“We now haven't scored in three games and also our defending was poor in last week's game in Wexford,” Horgan told finnharps.com. “You can't expect to get anything out of a game with that.”

“As I have said before, other teams have improved and we have to improve to stay with them. We need to better our early season form as the other sides have.”

“Shelbourne are in great form and haven’t been beaten in a long run of games,” said Horgan of the Dubliners. “It will be extremely difficult on Friday next given the way they are going at the moment.”

The Harps boss will have to plan without the suspended Josh Mailey while his namesake Packie is a doubt for the game through injury. However, Damien McNulty comes back into contention having been suspended last week.

SHELBOURNE

A 2-2 draw in Cobh is a good result these days, but Shelbourne will still feel like they missed a trick by not claiming all three points at St. Colman's Park last week. With Harps losing and UCD winning 5-1 against Waterford United, the solitary point gleaned in South Cork at least keeps the Reds in touching distance of the promotion race.

They now sit just one point off the third-placed Students and five points off the top, but their goal-difference (+2) is vastly inferior to the three sides above them: Wexford Youths and UCD are both +23, while Harps are +10. With that in mind, a repeat of the last meeting between these sides is what Kevin Doherty will be looking for in Donegal on Friday.
 

A Philly Hughes hat-trick earned the Reds a 3-2 win over Harps at Tolka Park at the end of June. That victory was the second match of Shels' current seven-game unbeaten streak, but they travel to Ballybofey without a win at Finn Park since July 2011.

Having done well to drag themselves back into play-off contention following a six-game winless run in the first-half of the campaign, Doherty will be hoping his side can continue getting the results they need to keep them involved at the business end of proceedings.

However, despite having Gareth Coughlan available again following suspension, the Reds boss will go into the tie without Simon Dixon and Conor Earley, and with doubts surrounding a number of his key players: Hughes, Dylan McGlade, Evan Osam, Sean Heaney and James English will all be assessed closer to kick-off.

Referee: Simon Rogers.

MATCH STATS

Finn Harps have won just two of the last ten meetings with Shelbourne, drawing three and losing the other five.

Shelbourne haven't won at Finn Park since July 2011. A goal from current Reds striker Philly Hughes sandwiched between strikes from Conan Byrne and David Cassidy gave Shels a 3-0 win.

Finn Harps have lost just once in the league at home in 2015, a 3-1 reverse to title rivals Wexford Youths in June.

Since losing to 2-1 to UCD in early June, Shels have gone seven games without defeat in the league.

BETTING

Finn Harps 13/10; Draw 23/10; Shelbourne 7/4.

PREDICTION

1-1.

Finn Harps

Injured: None.

Doubtful: Packie Mailey.

Suspended: Josh Mailey.

Shelbourne

Injured: Simon Dixon, Conor Earley.

Doubtful: Philly Hughes, Dylan McGlade, Sean Heaney, James English, Evan Osam.

Suspended: None.