Credit:
Finn Harps -v- Shelbourne
- Niall Farrell
- Fri, Jul 15 2011
Table-toppers Shelbourne visit Finn Harps in Ballybofey on Saturday night hping to extend their lead at the top of the Airtricity First Division, while their hosts will have to overcome the absence of several key players. (Kick off, 7.45pm)
Harps must plan for the match without captain Kevin McHugh who is suspended. Also absent through injury are Paddy McLoughlin, Packie Mailey and Marc Brolly. Peter Hutton's side have lost their last two league matches, against Longford Town and Cork City, but before that they had won two in a row against Salthill Devon and Waterford United.
Director of Football Felix Healy hopes to bring players in in the coming week to reinforce his depleted squad while debuts could be handed to John Paul Gallagher and Peter Hutton tomorrow night. “We will have news on a couple of players coming to the club in the next few days but before that we will concentrate on what we have,” said Healy. “We have played almost every club in the league since Peter (Hutton) and myself came in so this will complete the series. We’ve progressed a bit and then gone back a bit, which is to be expected but Shelbourne will be a good test for us,” he added.
Shels have gone eleven matches without losing now and will hope to build on an impressive comeback performance last week in their 2-1 defeat of Waterford United. In 17 matches, the Reds have conceded just ten goals and Phillip Hughes is second in this season's scoring charts with eleven goals.
The last time Harps and Shels met, a single David Cassidy goal was the difference between the sides in Tolka Park. Finn Harps, in their first match under the new management, made Shels work hard in a match they were fancied to win. The last time Shels travelled to Ballybofey, in June of last year, they were held to a 1-1 draw.
Alan Mathews should be able to welcome back Stephen Paisley to the Shels squad, with the centre-back returning from a back injury which has seen him miss four matches. Chris Mulhall is the only player unavailable to Mathews, with the winger serving an additional one match suspension after being sent off in the EA Sports Cup quarter final against Sligo Rovers.
Finn Harps
Injured: Paddy McLoughlin, Packie Mailey and Marc Brolly.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: Kevin McHugh.
Shelbourne
Injured: None.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: Chris Mulhall.
Referee: Derek Tomney.
Paddy Power Odds: Harps 7/1; Draw 10/3; Shels 4/11.
Extratime prediction: Shels 2-1 Harps.
About Niall Farrell
Niall Farrell is our correspondent at Tolka Park, covering the goings-on at Shelbourne. You can visit Niall's website for further information and contact details- niallf.net.