Finn Harps -v- Salthill Devon

• Aidan O'Donnell
• Thu, Apr 07 2011


Finn Harps manager James Gallagher has continuing selection headaches ahead of his side’s First Division clash with Salthill Devon on Friday night with several players ruled out because of injury and several more rated extremely doubtful. (Kick-off, 8pm)

Paddy McLaughlin, Tommy Bonner (who had just served a two-game ban), Gareth Harkin and Garbhan Friel are all unavailable, while Conor O’Grady, Kevin McHugh and Gary Merritt are fighting to shake off respective knocks picked up over the last fortnight.

Gallagher admits that despite having a free weekend last week, the two lengthy away games in the space of three days the week before had taken its toll on an already depleted squad.

“Last week, in some of our training sessions we had only six outfield first team players able to take part,” the Harps boss said this week. “The two games in the space of three days didn’t help on the injury front, especially as we travelled up and down to Waterford in the one day. Thankfully, though, a few more were able to train this week with Marc Brolly, Keith Cowan and Ciaran Coll all able to take part again.”

Brolly’s return is welcome after the midfielder was carried off with an ankle knock in Harps’ last home game, while Mark Forker will also return to the fray after he missed three games because of suspension.

There is more good news in that Christy Connaghan will make his bow for the first team squad this evening following a lengthy lay-off. The no-nonsense attacker played seventy minutes for the ‘A’ team against UCD in the Belfield Bowl last weekend and, having come through that unscathed, will now go straight into the mix for this evening’s encounter with the Galway-based side.

“We know Christy’s fitness will not be a problem, as he is a fit lad. The only worry with him will be match sharpness. He got over an hour last week in the ‘A’ team game and he will come straight into the first team panel for Friday night’s game,” confirmed Gallagher.

Harps are yet to record their first win of the season having followed up two home draws against Limerick and Monaghan with two defeats on the road against Waterford and Mervue (in the EA Sports cup), respectively.

“We were disappointed to leave the RSC with nothing. We went down there missing a few players and Paddy McLaughlin went off injured after only twenty minutes, so that upset our pre-match game plan a little. However, Raymond Foy came on in Paddy’s place and did well.

“We rode our luck at times in the first half and defended well, but in the second half I couldn’t see Waterford scoring. In the end, individual errors cost us for their goal. I felt there was a point, if not all three, for the taking, so it was disappointing coming home with nothing,” said Gallagher, whose side travelled over 800 miles on the same weekend only to come home with little to show for their efforts.

In respect of the Mervue game Gallagher added, “I was pleased with the way we played. We started well but you could see that we were a bit sluggish as the game went on. The Waterford game was starting to take its toll and we had to take off a few players who picked up some knocks. We would like to have stayed in the competition for as long as possible, but it wasn’t to be.”

Despite missing several key players, Harps should really be collecting all three points tonight against a side they boasted a one hundred percent record against last season. Gallagher’s side currently occupy third bottom place, but have one, and in some cases two, games in-hand over the rest of the teams in the division.

The Harps boss feels unbeaten Cork and Shelbourne appear the obvious front-runners, but beyond that, isn’t too concerned with what he has seen so far. “Salthill look as though they have improved, and after completing their first season at this level, they will be a bit more organised this year. It’s a game we have to win and that we expect to win. Without being disrespectable to them, we should be winning our games against the likes of Salthill and Mervue.

“Apart from Shelbourne and Cork City, who have big squads, I don’t think there is much of a difference between a lot of the other teams – I certainly feel we should be able to compete with most of them, especially at home.”

Finn Harps:
Injured: Garbhan Friel (knee), Paddy McLaughlin (hamstring), Tommy Bonner (ankle), Gareth Harkin (ankle).
Doubtful: Conor O’Grady (hamstring), Kevin McHugh (knee), Gary Merritt (flu).
Suspended: None. Doubtful: Conor O’Grady (hamstring), Kevin McHugh (knee), Gary Merritt (flu).

Salthill Devon:
Injured: Unavailable.
Doubtful: Unavailable.
Suspended: Michael Quirke.

Referee: John McLoughlin.
Paddypower odds: Finn Harps 2/9 - Draw 4/1 - Salthill Devon 9/1.
Extratime prediction: Home win, 2-0.