League Preview: Waterford -v- Finn Harps

WATERFORD

Waterford will look to record back-to-back wins for the first time this season as they welcome Finn Harps to the RSC (kick-off 7.45pm).

Waterford’s form this season has been hit or miss as they’ve won two and lost three of their first six games.

Remarkably they have yet to record two of the same results in a row. They will look to break that streak tonight against the side at the foot of the table.

They won their previous game, two weeks ago, comfortably at home to St Patrick’s Athletic thanks to a goal in each half from Aaron Drinan.

Last week’s scheduled meeting with Sligo Rovers was postponed due to international call-ups for Drinan, Hugo Keto and Zack Elbouzedi, and will now be played on April 15^th.

Alan Reynolds’ men sit seventh in the table and are prepared for a tough battle against a Finn Harps side desperate for their first win of the season.

“I’ve spoken previously about how we were getting punished for mistakes in matches and that last game showed the other side of that,” Reynolds told the club’s website.  

“We took advantage and punished St Pats for their errors, and that's something we need to keep doing going forward.

“Friday offers us a different challenge and we know that Ollie Horgan always has his teams in great shape and ready for a battle; that’s what we’ll get and nothing less.”

Kenny Browne is the only player missing for the Blues as he continues to recover from injury, while Bastien Héry is 50/50.

FINN HARPS

Finn Harps have not had the start they wanted to the season, sitting bottom with only two points after eight games played.

Ollie Horgan’s men played last week, while other clubs enjoyed an international break, in a valiant, yet ultimately losing effort against league leaders Shamrock Rovers.

For a team that tends to start seasons brightly, Harps will be hoping to get back on track and record their first win of the season.

“Every game we go into, we are underdogs,” Horgan told the club’s website.

“Every team we play against fancy their chances of taking the three points. That’s the level of the challenge that our lads face every week.

“We gave it a good go against a very good Shamrock Rovers side on Friday night. They were slick in a lot of their play but we worked very hard to combat their attacking threat.

“And it worked up until the 85th minute when Greg Bolger got the winner. We didn’t create a lot in terms of chances and that’s been a problem for us in most games. 

“When you get an opportunity you have to take them at this level. We had that one when we had three players against two defenders but there was a delayed pass and the chance was gone.”

Gareth Harkin is out for the season while Mark Timlin, Harry Ascroft and Sean Boyd also missed out, and Nathan Boyle is a doubt with illness.

Referee: Graham Kelly

MATCH STATS

This is the first meeting between these two sides since the 2015 season in the First Division.

That year Finn Harps got the better of Waterford, winning two of the three league games, with a draw occurring in the third.

In fact, Harps are unbeaten in the last six encounters, winning five. All these matches were played in the First Division.

This is the first meeting between these two sides in Ireland’s top division since 2005. That year Finn Harps finished bottom, whereas Waterford finished in eighth to stay up.

BETTING

Waterford 4/9; Draw 16/5; Away 11/2.

PREDICTION

Waterford 2 – 0 Finn Harps

Waterford

Injured: Kenny Browne.

Doubtful: Bastien Hery.

Suspended: None.

Finn Harps

Injured: Gareth Harkin, Mark Timlin, Harry Ascroft, Sean Boyd.

Doubtful: Nathan Boyle

Suspended: None.