Finn Harps -v- Wexford Youths
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Seventh place Wexford Youths make the long trip to Ballybofey tonight to face Finn Harps (kick-off 8.00pm), with the home side looking for their first win in three.
Harps come into the game on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Shelbourne, though Gallagher was pleased with his players’ performance.
“Last week we put in a much better performance than we had shown against Limerick seven days earlier. It took us ten or fifteen minutes to settle into the game and that was probably down to the way Shels started the game.
“They started at a high tempo and it took us a while to get going. After we settled, we played some decent football and in the second half we were probably the better team. We created plenty of chances, but luck wasn’t on our side on the day.”
This will be the eighth meeting between the two sides and there has yet to be a draw between the sides in that time. Youths hold a narrow advantage with four wins, while Harps have taken the points on the other three occasions, all with 1-0 wins.
However, Youths had a 100% record against the Donegal outfit last season and Gallagher will be keen to change the pattern. “Friday’s game against Wexford is another one like the Monaghan game of a few weeks ago in that both sides won all their games against us last season,” he said.
“We used that as a motivating factor ahead of the Monaghan game and it is something that we will again speak about ahead of the Wexford game. We will be aiming to carry on from where we left off last weekend against Shelbourne. We haven’t really put two good performances together this season yet, so I’ll be looking for a similar display to last week, but with the right result.”
Johnny Lafferty will return for the home team, although Jonathan Minnock and Ciaran Gallagher will be absent from duty as both picked up injuries recently. Harps have scored five times this year, with a different player netting each time, and that could trouble a Youths side which have kept just one clean sheet this season, conceding six goals in five games.
Despite being suspended for the game, Wexford Youths captain David Breen is confident about the match. “It’s a really big pitch up there and if we let them play they’ll hurt us”, he told Beat 102103. “But we’re confident after winning against Salthill last week.”
Venue: Finn Park, Ballybofey
Referee: P. McLaughlin
paddypower.com odds: Finn Harps Evens, Draw 11/5 , Wexford Youths 23/10
Finn Harps
Suspended: none
Injured: Jonathan Minnock, Ciaran Gallagher
Doubtful: none
Wexford Youths:
Suspended: David Breen, Warren Broaders.
No information at time of going to press.
Extratime Prediction: 1-1
Harps come into the game on the back of a 1-0 defeat to Shelbourne, though Gallagher was pleased with his players’ performance.
“Last week we put in a much better performance than we had shown against Limerick seven days earlier. It took us ten or fifteen minutes to settle into the game and that was probably down to the way Shels started the game.
“They started at a high tempo and it took us a while to get going. After we settled, we played some decent football and in the second half we were probably the better team. We created plenty of chances, but luck wasn’t on our side on the day.”
This will be the eighth meeting between the two sides and there has yet to be a draw between the sides in that time. Youths hold a narrow advantage with four wins, while Harps have taken the points on the other three occasions, all with 1-0 wins.
However, Youths had a 100% record against the Donegal outfit last season and Gallagher will be keen to change the pattern. “Friday’s game against Wexford is another one like the Monaghan game of a few weeks ago in that both sides won all their games against us last season,” he said.
“We used that as a motivating factor ahead of the Monaghan game and it is something that we will again speak about ahead of the Wexford game. We will be aiming to carry on from where we left off last weekend against Shelbourne. We haven’t really put two good performances together this season yet, so I’ll be looking for a similar display to last week, but with the right result.”
Johnny Lafferty will return for the home team, although Jonathan Minnock and Ciaran Gallagher will be absent from duty as both picked up injuries recently. Harps have scored five times this year, with a different player netting each time, and that could trouble a Youths side which have kept just one clean sheet this season, conceding six goals in five games.
Despite being suspended for the game, Wexford Youths captain David Breen is confident about the match. “It’s a really big pitch up there and if we let them play they’ll hurt us”, he told Beat 102103. “But we’re confident after winning against Salthill last week.”
Venue: Finn Park, Ballybofey
Referee: P. McLaughlin
paddypower.com odds: Finn Harps Evens, Draw 11/5 , Wexford Youths 23/10
Finn Harps
Suspended: none
Injured: Jonathan Minnock, Ciaran Gallagher
Doubtful: none
Wexford Youths:
Suspended: David Breen, Warren Broaders.
No information at time of going to press.
Extratime Prediction: 1-1
About Alan Smith
Alan Smith works as a sub-editor for the Guardian newspaper in London. Originally from Cork, he freelances for several other newspapers and websites. Follow him on twitter @alansmith90. View Full Profile