League Preview: Sligo Rovers -v- Finn Harps

Sligo Rovers host Finn Harps at the Showgrounds on Friday night in a north-west derby game (kick-off 7.45pm). A win for Sligo would enable the Bit O’Red to overtake Harps in the table and escape the relegation zone for the mid-season break at least.

SLIGO ROVERS

Sligo earned a valuable 2-2 draw against Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds last Friday night despite falling behind to an early Aaron Greene goal. Two goals from centre-back Mick Leahy grabbed a share of the spoils for Gerard Lyttle’s side.

Sligo sit in 10^th place in the Airtricity League Premier Division but will be hoping that they won’t be occupying the final relegation spot come the final whistle on Friday night.

The Bit O’Red will have to plan without wingers Daniel Kearns (thigh) and Liam Martin (ankle). Kearns’ injury is not expected to be long-term although Martin will miss up to five weeks after sustaining the injury against Bray.

Gerard Lyttle is acutely aware of how important the game against Finn Harps is in Sligo’s bid to climb the table and avoid the drop. Speaking to the club’s official website, Lyttle stated: "It's a game we have prepared right for. We have been saying for a while now tha t we need to be targeting teams around us. It's our own mini league. Obviously, Finn Harps are one of the team we would try to target. If you take away the top three teams, the rest of the teams are fighting in around.”

Lyttle has urged the passionate Sligo support to get behind the team and help them in their bid to earn a victory on Friday. "We're looking forward to it and the supporters getting behind us and cheering us on.  They are very important when we're playing at home to back us and the pitch has been good this week and it's slick after the rain so we're really looking forward to it.”

Due to league ranking, last week’s result in Bray would have been seen as a good result by many outside of Sligo. However, Lyttle was slightly disappointed with the outcome and wants to finish the first-half of the season on a winning note. "I want to see the boys play and respond to last week because we were disappointed with a draw in Bray. There was a lot of positives but we're really chomping at the bit to finish on a high before the break."

FINN HARPS

Finn Harps enjoyed a superb week last week as they defeated both St. Patricks Athletic and Limerick at Finn Park to move off the foot of the table and up to 8^th position. Harps had endured five defeats on the trot before that so it was a boost to the club and supporters.

One of Ollie Horgan’s trademarks has been to play down his side’s chances in any game in the Premier Division, with Friday night being no different. Horgan believes that Harps must continue to win and gather points quickly to survive this season. Speaking to Finn Harps Dot Com, Horgan said, “the wins over Pat’s and Limerick has given us a boost but we’re coming from a low base so we have to battle for every point to give us a chance of survival. On their day Sligo could destroy us. They have Kieran Sadlier who I rate in the top three players in the league along with Seanie Maguire and Patrick McEleney. So, if we get a draw at the Showgrounds it will be a brilliant result for us considering the injury problems we still have.”

Furthermore, Horgan cited Sligo’s last home performance as a reason to be fearful. “Sligo had a 3-0 win over Limerick in their last home match so that shows you what they are capable of doing. It’s going to be ‘backs to the wall’s stuff’’ for us for a lot of the game depending on what kind of a team we can put out at the Showgrounds.”

Ollie Horgan does have an extensive list of absentees, particularly in the forward areas ahead of the game. Danny Morrissey is suspended following his straight red card for a poor tackle on Limerick’s Paul O’Conor last week. Eddie Dsane and BJ Banda are both out through injury. Caolan McAleer, Paddy McCourt and Barry Molloy are rated as doubtful. However, all three came through late fitness tests last week against Limerick also.

As well as Danny Morrissey, Ollie Horgan will also serve a one-match touchline ban for being sent from the dugout against Galway United at Eamon Deacy Park.

If results go their way, the Ballybofey outfit could be sitting in the top half of the table heading into the mid-season break which would be a super return for the club considering their injury list as well as their poor form before last week.

Referee: Robert Rogers

MATCH STATS

The sides have met twice already this season in both the Premier Division and the EA Sports Cup. Harps emerged victorious at Finn Park in the league meeting in March on a 2-1 scoreline. Sligo enacted some revenge with a 0-1 win at Finn Park a month later in the EA Sports Cup, courtesy of a Matthew Stevens goal in extra-time.

Finn Harps have only managed to defeat Sligo on two occasions since 2008. The clubs have met on ten occasions in that period.

Sligo have won six of those meetings, and there have been two draws.

BETTING

Sligo Rovers 10/11; Draw 12/5; Finn Harps 3/1

PREDICTION

Sligo Rovers 2-1 Finn Harps

Sligo:

Injured: Liam Martin, Daniel Kearns

Doubtful: None

Suspended: Liam Martin

Finn Harps:

Injured: Eddie Dsane, BJ Banda

Doubtful: Paddy McCourt, Caolan McAleer, Barry Molloy

Suspended: Ollie Horgan (manager), Danny Morrissey