League Preview: Finn Harps -v- Athlone Town

• Fran Reilly
• Thu, Apr 09 2015




FINN HARPS

Harps come into this top two meeting on the back of a 2-2 draw with UCD in Belfield last week, when an 81^stminute Kevin McHugh strike – his 166^th League of Ireland goal in his 333^rd league appearance for Harps – ensured Ollie Horgan's side maintained their unbeaten start to the 2015 season.

 

The two goals conceded against the Students were the first to find their way past Harps 'keeper Ciaran Gallagher this season, but despite that Ollie Horgan's side currently sit top of the First Division table after five games – a single point above their opponents Athlone Town.

 

In contrast, Athlone lost their unbeaten start last week at home to Wexford Youths, allowing Harps to leapfrog the midlands side, and Horgan believes a squad tipped as favourites by some to win immediate promotion back to the Premier Division will be eager to set the record straight this week.

 

“Athlone obviously will be a very tough game,” Horgan told finnharps.com. “The fact that they were turned over last Friday makes it even tougher. Eddie Wallace has put together a serious side that will be there in the top positions at the end of the season.

 

“They have a good mixture of youth and experience with the likes of Garbhan Coughlan and Marco Chindea added to the likes of Aidan Collins and Eric Foley.

 

“We were in this same position 12 months ago in the league and possibly even the year before also but fell away after that, so I don’t think anyone is reading too much into the first few games,” added Horgan.

 

While the Harps boss admitted to being disappointed that his side couldn't take all three points against UCD, he firmly believes that it was the vociferous travelling Harps support which helped his side fight their way back into the game after going behind in Dublin and is calling for more of the same against Athlone this Friday in Finn Park.

 

“The big number of supporters that turned up in Belfield were a huge help, urging us on from start to finish and most notably when we were behind in the game,” said Horgan. “We need all the help we can get and the players and staff were very appreciative of the people who went to Dublin to get behind us, especially when we fell behind.

 

“Hopefully there will be a big crowd at Finn Park on Friday night to cheer us on – it's certainly a huge help and the players deserve a big support for the huge effort they put in.”

 

Harps will once again have to do without injured duo Packie Mailey and joint-top goalscorer Ruairi Keating. The on loan Sligo Rovers striker has netted two goals from three starts this season but has missed the last two games. Luckily for Harps, veteran striker McHugh and Frenchman Wilfried Tagbo have stepped up in Keating's absence, the pair netting two goals apiece against Cobh Ramblers and UCD.

 

Horgan also has doubts over Brian McGoary and Gareth Harkin, with the pair set to undergo late fitness tests to determine their capability of participating in the game.

 

 

ATHLONE TOWN

The Town travel to Ballybofey on the back of their first defeat of the season – a 1-0 reverse to Shane Keegan's Wexford Youths in Lissywollen. The loss coupled with Harps earning a share of the spoils at Belfield saw Athlone drop to second in the table – something the Midlands side will be eager to rectify in Finn Park on Friday.

 

Town boss Eddie Wallace was unhappy with the way in which his side succumbed to Youths and believes a sharp upturn in performance will be needed to take anything back to Athlone from Donegal.

 

“Wexford are a good side, it was the manner about the defeat that would concern me more than anything,” Wallace told Extratime.ie. “There's a right way and a wrong way to lose a game and last week was far from the acceptable way to lose a game.

 

“A major improvement will be needed on last week if we're to do anything this week,” added Wallace. Finn Harps are a decent enough side. It's been a long time since I've been involved in this league but there are a lot of good teams in it on a par with each other.

 

“It's a difficult enough league to win, like any league is difficult to win, as a lot of the teams are similar and have similar strengths.”

 

Athlone were missing a number of regulars last week and will travel to Finn Park with a squad decimated by injuries. Stephen Quigley, Eric Foley, Garreth Brady and Adrien Friel are all definitely out, while big doubts surround the involvement of Brian Shortall, Derek Doyle, Thomas Mulroney, Michael Brown and Philly Gorman.

 

Doyle, Mulroney and Gorman all took part in some light training on Wednesday night but Wallace is waiting to see their reaction to the session before deciding whether to risk them against Harps, while Shortall and Brown are rated at no better than 50/50 despite being on the bench against Youths last week.

 

The potential absence of two goal Philly Gorman would be a blow for such a big game. Though Garbhan Coughlan has had a fine start to the season with four goals to his name already, he was unable to hit the target against Youths and Wallace will be hoping he can field a full strength strike force against a rigid Harps backline.

 

Despite the failure to net against Shane Keegan's side, Athlone are the highest scorers in the First Division to date having banged in ten goals in five games. Traditionally, matches between these two sides are tight affairs – seven of the last ten games were won by a single goal margin and one of the remaining three ended in a draw – and with Harps boasting the meanest defence in the league, it could be the same again on Friday night.

 

Referee: Marc Lynch.

 

 

MATCH STATS

This will be the 100^th competitive meeting of Finn Harps and Athlone Town in the League of Ireland and the 48^thto be played at Finn Park. So far the record between the two clubs reads: 99 games played; 37 Harps wins; 36 Athlone wins; 26 draws.

 

Only one of the last 24 meetings between these two clubs has ended scoreless.

 

Athlone Town are the highest scorers in the First Division with ten goals from five games, but have only kept one cleansheet so far – one less than League of Ireland newcomers Cabinteely. 

Finn Harps have the meanest defence conceding only twice in five games so far and keeping four cleansheets in the process – more than any other side in the league.

 

The last time these two teams met was in October 2013 when Harps were on the winning side of a 3-2 scoreline at Finn Park. It was a first defeat in 14 games for Roddy Collins' Athlone, who had been crowned First Division champions one week earlier. Harps boss Peter Hutton resigned after the game with one match remaining in their 2013 campaign.

 

 

BETTING

Finn Harps 6/4; Draw 11/5; Athlone Town 8/5.

 

PREDICTION

Finn Harps 2-2 Athlone Town.

 

 

Finn Harps

Injured: Packie Mailey, Ruairi Keating.

Doubtful: Brian McGoary, Gareth Harkin.

Suspended: None.

 

Athlone Town

Injured: Stephen Quigley, Eric Foley, Garreth Brady, Adrien Friel.

Doubtful: Brian Shortall, Derek Doyle, Thomas Mulroney, Michael Brown, Philly Gorman.

Suspended: None.