League Preview: Finn Harps -v- Sligo Rovers

Finn Harps

Finn Harps welcome northwest neighbours Sligo Rovers to Finn Park on Bank Holiday Monday afternoon (kick-off 6pm).

Ollie Horgan’s Harps ended Friday night’s encounter with Bohemians with two red cards, two goals and a point. Mark Timlin’s injury time equaliser ensured that the Donegal men returned to Ballybofey with a share of the spoils and remain three points clear of UCD at the bottom of the Premier Division table.

Having found the net five times in their opening seven games, Harps have now doubled that tally with a handful of strikes in their previous three games- Filip Mihaljevic netting a couple of penalties to join Eric McWoods as the top scorer at the club so far this season. Both on two goals are one ahead of six other players, including Mark Timlin who netted his first Premier Division goal for the club in over 5 years on Friday. 

An injury sustained to Dave Webster during the course of Friday’s topsy-turvy encounter may rule him out of this evening’s game while his replacement Conor Tourish was also substituted with a knock before the end of Friday’s match. The Donegalmen also have doubts over Jesse Devers due to injury. 

For this evening’s game, Eric McWoods and Ryan Rainey are suspended following their dismissals against Bohemians while Elie-Gael N’zeyi will also miss out through suspension.

Ahead of the game, Ollie Horgan spoke with his club’s media, 

‘We were well beaten by Sligo when we played a month ago and so we’ll need to be on our game to give us a chance. They’ll be hoping to get themselves back on track after a tough couple of results and will see tonight’s fixture as the perfect opportunity to do so.

We know all too well the dangers they possess through the likes of Keena, Fitzgerald and of course Karl O’Sullivan who had two very good years with us. Our home form has probably let us down a bit so far this season so it’s up to us to be prepared and make things difficult for Sligo come Monday.”

Sligo Rovers

The Bit O’Red travel to Finn Park on the back of a 2-1 defeat away to Dundalk, a game in which the hosts were much more commanding than the scoreline suggested.

Having started the game with Aidan Keena up front- the 6 goal top scorer missing out on games against Bohemians and UCD with injury- the striker was withdrawn at half time. However, his replacement in the central striking role, Max Mata, has found the net three times in the past two games and the New Zealander is capable of also offering an attacking threat behind the striker if Keena starts.

Despite these goals,  Sligo are without a win in the league since they last entertained Finn Harps at the Showgrounds in March. Their 3-1 victory, courtesy of a Keena hat trick, saw Liam Buckley’s side record their third win of their opening five games and start with eleven points from a possible fifteen. Since then, they’ve only collected two from the next fifteen on offer.

Defender Robbie McCourt and forward Jordan Hamilton missed out on the Dundalk clash through injury and are doubts for today’s game.

Speaking with club media in advance of the game, boss Liam Buckley said, ‘ We know Finn Park is a tricky place to go. We always have good hard battles against them and Ollie and his staff will no doubt have them ready to go tomorrow night.

I felt we played well on Friday night for large spells. We could have taken the lead if we had taken our early chances but we need to defend those goals a bit better.

We are looking forward to Monday night’s game and we want to do well and try and kick on again into the coming weeks.’

Referee: Paul McLoughlin

MATCH STATS

Ex Sligo Rovers FAI Cup winning captain Gavin Dykes is the current Assistant Manager of Finn Harps, having joined the Ballybofey outfit at the start of the season following the departure of Paul Hegarty.

Goalkeepers Mark Anthony McGinley and Ed McGinty are tied on two clean sheets apiece this season while ex Finn Harps netminder Richard Brush has also kept a clean sheet for the Bit O’Red in 2022 when deputising for McGinty against Drogheda United.

Winger Karl O’Sullivan lined out for Finn Harps last season- his free kick set up Kosovar Sadiki in Harps’ 1-0 victory at the Showgrounds in August before netting the equaliser in October’s 2-2 encounter.

PREDICTION

Finn Harps 1–2 Sligo Rovers

Finn Harps

Injured: None

Doubtful: Dave Webster, Conor Tourish, Jesse Devers

Suspended: Eric McWoods, Ryan Rainey, Eli- Gael Nzeyi

Sligo Rovers

Injured: None

Doubtful: Robbie McCourt, Jordan Hamilton

Suspended: None.