League Preview: Finn Harps -v- Waterford United

• Fran Reilly
• Fri, May 08 2015




FINN HARPS

Last week's accumulator-busting slip up in Stradbrook not only cost Harps two points but also prompted one of the PR stunts of the season from Cabinteely, as well as a cheeky tweet from late, late goalscorer John McKeown – which in turn prompted an even cheekier reply from Wexford Youths. 

The 1-1 draw with Cabo saw the gap between the Ferrycarrig club and Harps at the top of the First Division close to just three points, and Ollie Horgan will be keen to avoid another setback this week as table-proppers Waterford United make the trek to Ballybofey.

 

The Harps boss was left to rue his side's failure to add a crucial second goal, but was reflective in the aftermath.

“In the second half Cabinteely came into game and got a deserved equaliser at the very end with a great strike from John McKeown. Cabinteely conceded a late equaliser five minutes into injury time in Athlone two weeks ago, so you can’t begrudge them their late equaliser last Friday,” Horgan told finnharps.com.

 

Despite the 95^th minute concession in Dublin last week, it was only the second game in which Harps have conceded this season and only the third goal the Harps' rearguard has given away in nine matches. Ciaran Gallagher has played every minute of the 2015 season so far and as a result can comfortably boast the most cleansheets in the league (seven).

 

Horgan believes that Waterford United are better than the table suggests and feels the 2-0 scoreline which Harps beat the Blues by in the RSC in March doesn't tell the whole story of that game.

“They pinned us back for long periods including when they were down to ten men,” said Horgan. “Their league position is false in what they can achieve with the players that they have.”

 

The Harps manager will have to plan without the injured Packie Mailey once again, while Garbhan Friel is unavailable for the home side.

 

 

WATERFORD UNITED

United's woes continued last week as they were the latest victims of the Wexford Youths goalscoring juggernaut – Shane Keegan's side followed up their 7-0 demolition of Cabinteely at Ferrycarrig Park with a 4-1 win at the RSC, including a Danny Furlong brace which brought the striker's tally for the season up to 12 goals in nine games.

 

Youths remain the only side the Blues have taken maximum points from this season when they won 2-1 at home in March. Tommy Griffin's side are also without a competitive cleansheet in 2015 and have conceded the joint-highest number of goals in the league – 16, the same amount as Cabo who, despite this, sit two points above United in seventh place.

 

Despite the margin of defeat, Griffin saw some positives in last week's game but knows that results need to be forthcoming in order to keep the fans onside.

“I would have said that for long periods of the game we were right in it,” Griffin told waterford-united.ie. “I can't fault the effort of the players because they are working their socks off on the pitch. Even when we were 4-1 down, I could see how much effort that they were putting into the game to try and get a goal.

 

“I can perfectly understand that fans are disappointed that things aren't moving forward as well as they would like, but that's also down to expectations. I can't question the work-rate from each of the players, but maybe we've got to work even harder.”

 

With Cobh Ramblers enjoying a mini-revival since Stephen Henderson returned to St. Colman's Park, United have taken their place as the First Division's bottom club. Willie John Kiely's missed penalty in the 92^nd minute of the April meeting between United and Ramblers, which ended 1-1, sums up the Blues' current run of luck.

 

Despite that miss, WJK is still United's top scorer this season with three goals, but unfortunately for Tommy Griffin the striker is one of eight absentees for the trip to Ballybofey. Brian Nolan, Thomas Croke and Anthony O'Donnell all miss out through injury, while Kiely, Cormac Breslin, Craig Burns, Aaron O'Connor and Shane Nolan all can't travel due to exams/work commitments.

 

 

Referee: Michael O'Connor.

 

 

MATCH STATS

With nine league games played, Finn Harps have only conceded goals in Southside Dublin so far this season – two in Belfield against UCD in early April and one last week in Stradbrook.

 

Waterford United are yet to keep a cleansheet in the league this season. The only other League of Ireland side without a cleansheet at this stage of proceedings is Limerick FC.

 

Ruairi Keating is Harps' joint-top goalscorer with three goals – but he has scored them all in the two games with Cabinteely.

 

United's last win at Finn Park came in August 2013 – a Ben Ryan diving header and a Conor Meade penalty gave Tommy Griffin's side a 2-0 win. The Blues haven't scored in two games in Ballybofey since: a 1-0 loss in June 2014 and a 0-0 draw on the opening day of the 2014 season.

 

 

BETTING

Finn Harps 4/9; Draw 11/4; Waterford United 6/1.

 

PREDICTION

Finn Harps 1-0 Waterford United.

 

 

Finn Harps

Injured: Packie Mailey.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

Unavailable: Garbhan Friel.

 

Waterford United

Injured: Brian Nolan, Thomas Croke, Anthony O'Donnell.

Doubtful:

Suspended: None.

Unavailable: Willie John Kiely, Shane Nolan, Cormac Breslin, Craig Burns, Aaron O'Connor.