League Preview: Finn Harps -v- Waterford Untited

Waterford United make the long trip to Finn Park in Ballybofey to take on title chasing Finn Harps on Saturday night at 8pm.

FINN HARPS

Ollie Horgan and his players will not want to leave the Ballybofey playing field without maximum points if they are to maintain a title charge.  

Finn Harps sit in second spot, two points behind Wexford Youths in first with the same difference in points to UCD in third place. The Donegal men have played one more game than both of their closest rivals at the business end of the table but crucially, Wexford Youths and UCD have to play back to back league matches against each other in the weeks ahead and if the results in those matches are kind to Finn Harps, the upper hand in the race for automatic promotion and the title could well be held in Donegal.  

Before all of that is known, Harps will have to bag three points against a Roddy Collins side from the south coast who will give as good as they get.

“Waterford will be a huge test for us especially with the players they have added to their team including the Galvin brothers who are excellent footballers” said Harps boss Ollie Horgan of the visitors to Finn Park on Saturday night.

Horgan is in no doubt about the threat posed by the Blues and recalled “The last time Waterford came to Ballybofey they played us off the park at times so we are in for a very difficult match”.  

Harps managed to beat United on that night with a late strike from Ruairi Keating giving them the edge in a 3-2 thriller.

“All games are massive at this stage of the season and can go either way in so far as anyone can beat each other on a particular night,” he continued and must have had thoughts of last week’s difficult trip to Stradbrook still on his mind, when Harps scraped the three points against lowly Cabinteely, beating them with the odd goal in five on the night.

Defender Matt Crossan returns to the fold in a boost for Harps following his suspension which saw him miss the victory against Cabinteely but Packie Mailey will not be available for a spot in the Harps rearguard as he serves a suspension for an accumulation of cautions. Otherwise, Ollie Horgan has a full squad to pick from.

The Harps boss will take confidence in knowing that his team have had the upper hand so far this season against United where they have collected maximum points from the three pairings to date but will have his men prepared for the tough test that awaits them on Saturday night.  A test which will be repeated every time they take to the field between now and the end of what might turn out to be a very memorable season for Finn Harps.

WATERFORD UNITED

Roddy Collins will travel to Finn Park on Saturday night, send his troops out to play stylish football and take the three points as he still has a goal for his struggling side this season.  

“For me personally, we need to get off the bottom and we want to get off the bottom. I think that if we continue to play the way that we are playing then we’ll get there before the end of the season” he spoke regarding his team’s lowly position.

His side are playing some of the best football in the First Division right now and have been for quite some time. The Blues results and points on the board may not reflect this but the Dubliner is slowly turning the screw at the RSC and they will certainly be a different prospect next season.

As for the challenge facing them on Saturday, under the Finn Park lights, Collins can now confidently look to Daniel Pender for goals. The striker is on a hot streak having hit the back of the net four times in his last two matches. Cory Galvin, who has impressed time and time again found the net against Wexford Youths last week and he will be a key figure if the Blues are to take anything from their long trip from Donegal back to Suirside.

Whilst the Blues from the south coast have little but pride and the basement battle to play for this season they can still have a huge impact on where the title goes on Saturday night and when they host UCD on the last day of the season at the RSC whilst Harps entertain Wexford Youths in Ballybofey on that final and decisive evening.

Waterford United are a young side and with that comes its own challenges but Roddy Collins has identified a strength he feels youth brings to the table.

“When you are dealing with young kids, you are always going to have great spirit and that’s the one thing we have. I said it to them before the game that whatever way it goes, we have great character in the dressing room with these lads” he remarked after the 3-2 defeat at the hands of Wexford Youths last Friday.

There is no doubt that the men from the banks of the Suir will be fired up for the clash at Finn Park.

Captain, Ethan Boyle misses the match having received his marching orders following two yellow cards in the 3-2 defeat to Wexford Youths last week.

Thomas Croake remains on the sidelines as a long term absentee through an ankle injury whilst Darren Murphy is struggling with a foot injury.

Referee: Ray Matthews

MATCH STATS

Finn Harps have taken all nine points from the three previous games between the sides this season.

There has been a clean sheet kept by one keeper or the other in nine of the last ten ties played between these two sides.

On average Finn Harps have scored their first goal at home this season on the 42nd minute mark whilst Waterford United have conceded their first goal away from home in the 43rd minute.

BETTING

Finn Harps 4/9; Draw 13/5; Waterford United 13/2.

PREDICTION

Finn Harps 2-1 Waterford United.

Finn Harps

Injured: None

Doubtful: Packie Mailey

Suspended: None.

Waterford United

Injured: Thomas Croake, Darren Murphy.

Doubtful: None

Suspended: Ethan Boyle.