Finn Harps -v- Shelbourne
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Finn Harps welcome Shelbourne to Ballybofey on Friday night (kick-off 20:00) hoping to add to their one home win so far this season.
Harps come into this game on the back of a narrow defeat against Wexford Youths and manager Paul Hegarty is hoping for his team to improve in the final third of the pitch, “We created quite a few chances. But at the minute we’re not taking those chances and sometimes our decision making in the final third is not as good as it should be. We’re playing decent enough football and I can’t fault the commitment people are putting in, but we must continue to work harder to take chances and improve when we don’t have the ball. That’s probably what cost us against Wexford last weekend.”
Hegarty expects a tough challenge against last year’s title challengers, “Shelbourne came within a kick of the ball of getting promoted last season. And they have massive experience at this level. They’ll come here and will fancy their chances of getting something but it’s up to us to put in a good fight.”
Shelbourne bounced back last week with a win against Athlone Town, having suffered back-to-back league losses to UCD and Sporting Fingal previously.
The Reds last played Harps in the league in July 2007, a 1-0 loss resulting in the Donegal side doing the home double against the Dubs. Keely will be looking to keep the pressure on the top three teams, however he will be looking for more effort from his team having been unhappy with the display against Athlone Town, particularly in the first half. Speaking last week he said, “There is a minimum level of effort and commitment that’s required and they didn’t have it against Athlone."
In team news, Finn Harps goalkeeper Gavin Cullen remains sidelined with an ankle injury sustained at the start of the month against Sporting Fingal and is likely to be out for another fortnight at least. Central defender Marc Mukendi is a doubt with a dead leg. Top scorer, Conor Gethins, serves the first of a two match suspension. The striker received an additional two match ban as a result of being sent off against Kildrum Tigers in the League Cup game at the end of March. Ciaran Coll, who missed last week’s trip to Wexford, is expected to return.
For Shelbourne, David Crawley serves his one match suspension after receiving a red card in the Athlone Town game last week. Alan Keely (hamstring), Damien Brennan (groin), Richie Baker (hamstring) will all be absentees. Stephen Quigley, though suffering from flu at present, will most likely be pressed into service given the number of defenders on the injury / suspension list. Peter Hynes, Dave McAllister and Kevin Doherty are all expected to return after injury.
Extratime.ie Prediction: Shelbourne to win by two goals to one.
Harps come into this game on the back of a narrow defeat against Wexford Youths and manager Paul Hegarty is hoping for his team to improve in the final third of the pitch, “We created quite a few chances. But at the minute we’re not taking those chances and sometimes our decision making in the final third is not as good as it should be. We’re playing decent enough football and I can’t fault the commitment people are putting in, but we must continue to work harder to take chances and improve when we don’t have the ball. That’s probably what cost us against Wexford last weekend.”
Hegarty expects a tough challenge against last year’s title challengers, “Shelbourne came within a kick of the ball of getting promoted last season. And they have massive experience at this level. They’ll come here and will fancy their chances of getting something but it’s up to us to put in a good fight.”
Shelbourne bounced back last week with a win against Athlone Town, having suffered back-to-back league losses to UCD and Sporting Fingal previously.
The Reds last played Harps in the league in July 2007, a 1-0 loss resulting in the Donegal side doing the home double against the Dubs. Keely will be looking to keep the pressure on the top three teams, however he will be looking for more effort from his team having been unhappy with the display against Athlone Town, particularly in the first half. Speaking last week he said, “There is a minimum level of effort and commitment that’s required and they didn’t have it against Athlone."
In team news, Finn Harps goalkeeper Gavin Cullen remains sidelined with an ankle injury sustained at the start of the month against Sporting Fingal and is likely to be out for another fortnight at least. Central defender Marc Mukendi is a doubt with a dead leg. Top scorer, Conor Gethins, serves the first of a two match suspension. The striker received an additional two match ban as a result of being sent off against Kildrum Tigers in the League Cup game at the end of March. Ciaran Coll, who missed last week’s trip to Wexford, is expected to return.
For Shelbourne, David Crawley serves his one match suspension after receiving a red card in the Athlone Town game last week. Alan Keely (hamstring), Damien Brennan (groin), Richie Baker (hamstring) will all be absentees. Stephen Quigley, though suffering from flu at present, will most likely be pressed into service given the number of defenders on the injury / suspension list. Peter Hynes, Dave McAllister and Kevin Doherty are all expected to return after injury.
Extratime.ie Prediction: Shelbourne to win by two goals to one.
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