Finn Harps -v- Salthill Devon

• Aidan O'Donnell
• Fri, Aug 20 2010


FINN Harps will be expected to bounce back to winning ways tonight when they welcome bottom of the table side Salthill Devon to Ballybofey (kick-off 8pm).

Salthill are the only side in the league Harps have managed to maintain a one hundred percent over, having beat them 2-0 at Finn Park on the second day of the season and then again 1-0 in Galway back in May.

The league’s newcomers have failed to acclimatise to their new environment after coming up from the Newstalk ‘A’ Championship. From twenty-three games played, they have claimed just two wins – a 2-0 win over derby foes and fellow strugglers Mervue and a 3-0 triumph over Wexford Youths in Ferrycarrig in what has been their only three points on the road.

Despite their poor form, however, Finn Harps manager James Gallagher is taking nothing for granted for this evenings clash. In fact, Gallagher is cautious over a slight upturn in form from the Galway based side, who have lost just two games in their last five – to Derry and Cork, respectively.

“It’s going to be a difficult game for us,” warned Gallagher. “Salthill have been improving in recent weeks and went to Longford the week before us and picked up a 2-2 draw. They have closed the gap on Mervue United to just one point and probably for the first time this season, they have an opportunity to move off the bottom of the table.

“They will have that determination about them, and that is something we are going to have to cope with. However, if we start well and play to the level we know we can, we are confident that we can win the game. ”

Gallagher will be looking for a response off his side after they slumped to their tenth league defeat of the season against Longford Town last week.

The 1-0 loss dropped Harps back down a place to eighth, having just taken over reigns of seventh the week before.

“It was disappointing. The game was like we have been for most of the season – hit and miss – and the first half last Friday was definitely a miss for us. In the second half, the game could have gone either way.

“We had a couple of good chances, most notably when Oisin (McMenamin) chipped the keeper only for the ball to just go past the wrong side of the post. They got a goal out of nothing, and for that fact, it was hard to take. However, we started slowly and if you don’t start well it’s always difficult to get into the game.”

The Harps boss has a few injury concerns for tonight’s meeting with Jonathan Minnock (muscle strain) a definite absentee, while James Doherty (knee) and Michael Funston (rib) are rated as doubts.

On the plus side, midfield combatant Tony Shields returns to the fray, having missed last week’s game at Flancare Park due to suspension, while Chris Breen, Tommy Bonner and Matthew Crossan will be expecting to be involved from the off, having began last week’s game on the bench.

PaddyPower odds: Finn Harps 2/5 Draw 11/4 Salthill 13/2