Finn Harps -v- Limerick FC

• Andrew Cunneen
• Sat, Aug 13 2011


Finn Harps play host to Pat Scully’s Limerick FC in Ballybofey on Saturday evening. Harps will be looking to continue their good form of late while the stakes are even higher for Limerick who require a win to maintain their promotion push. (Kick off 7.45pm)

The men from Donegal come off the back of two impressive wins over Wexford and Mervue respectively. Star striker Kevin McHugh has recently notched up three hundred appearances for Harps and will look to continue his impressive displays on Saturday night.

Director of Football Felix Healy is delighted with their recent performances. He said: “We’ve actually played a lot better than we did against Mervue and got beat by the odd goal, but sometimes that’s football. Everybody knows the system but basically that was the first time that our back four has played as a back four. It was a completely different team from Wexford, in terms of the way it was set up”.

“I’m happy with the three points and another clean-sheet,” he continued. “On another night we could’ve conceded a few. On Saturday we were disjointed because of the new players that came in, but that’s always the risk that you take. There are one or two guys that need games and the first half we didn’t really function at all. In the second half, when we got the goal, it settled us and we were better after that.”

Limerick, on the other hand, have come off the back of a League Cup defeat to local rivals Cork City, and will need to regroup if they wish to continue their good league form. Their last league outing saw them win in Waterford for the first time in many years, and was dubbed as a breakthrough among the faithful on Shannonside. Denis Behan grabbed both goals on that occasion.

In their previous encounters this season, Limerick have claimed four points from a possible six, while Harps grabbed a single point from the opening tie of the season in Ballybofey. All is to play for in this one, but Limerick must win to keep the pressure on the sides above them.

Finn Harps:
Injured: Packie Mailey.
Doubtful: Gary Curran.
Suspended: None.

Limerick:
Injured: Garry Sheahan, Dave Ryan, Brian O’Callaghan, Stephen O’Flynn, James O’Brien.
Doubtful: Shaun Maher.
Suspended: None.

Referee: Paul McLoughlin.
Paddy Power Odds: Finn Harps 4/1; Draw 5/2; Limerick 8/13.
Extratime prediction: Finn Harps 0-1 Limerick.