After conceding five goals against Bray Wanderers last weekend Finn Harps manager Ollie Horgan is looking for a much improved performance from his defence for this Friday night’s massive match against Galway United in Ballybofey (kick-off 8pm). Both sides are pointless after the opening two League of Ireland Premier Division matches so this truly is game that Harps need to get three points from with the benefit of home advantage. “Just because we are at home and Galway have lost their two opening games won’t give us much of advantage in the light of the way we lost against Bray. Yes we need to take advantage of playing at Finn Park but it won’t be easy because Galway badly need a result as well.”
“Yes there was positives going forward against Bray but to concede five goals is simply not good enough. It’s something that we are trying to address in training. If it doesn’t improve quickly then Galway will punish us at Finn Park. We are looking for a big improvement all round” Horgan said.
The Harps manager points out that despite the poor start, his counterpart Shane Keegan has strengthened his squad with the addition of experienced players like Gavin Holohan and David Cauley while Ronan Murray has returned from a spell in England. Horgan has serious injury concerns over goalkeeper Ciaran Gallagher who sustained that head injury in the lead-up to Bray’s third goal last Friday night at the Carlisle Grounds and Danny Morrissey also remains a big doubt with the knock to the knee that forced him off in the second half of the Cork game a fortnight ago. Defender Damian McNulty is struggling with a shoulder problem.
Meanwhile, Horgan also confirmed that kitman Shane Elliott got injured while training with the Harps squad during the week. And to make matters worse it’s the one position that Horgan hasn’t got cover for within the current setup!
Team News
Injured: None
Doubtful: Ciaran Gallagher (head), Damian McNulty (shoulder) Danny Morrissey (knee).
Unavailable: None
Suspended: None
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RECORD AGAINST GALWAY (All Competitions)
Friday’s game will be the 69th meeting of the two clubs, and the 32nd to be played in Finn Park. This includes meetings with Galway United, Galway FC and Galway Rovers.
Total Games: 68 (31 in Finn Park)
Harps Wins: 21 (13 in Finn Park)
Galway Wins: 27 (11 in Finn Park)
Draws: 20 (7 in Finn Park)
Harps Goals: 101 (45 in Finn Park)
Galway Goals: 118 (46 in Finn Park)
LAST 10 GAMES v GALWAY
29-Mar-14 Finn Harps 1-1 Galway FC (First Division)
05-May-14 Galway FC 1-0 Finn Harps (League Cup)
16-May-14 Galway FC 1-1 Finn Harps (First Division)
18-Jul-14 Finn Harps 0-0 Galway FC (First Division)
20-Sep-14 Galway FC 3-0 Finn Harps (First Division)
09-Mar-15 Galway United 3-2 Finn Harps (League Cup)
08-Apr-16 Galway United 1-0 Finn Harps (Premier Division)
18-Apr-16 Galway United 0-0 Finn Harps (4-2 on penalties) (League Cup)
8-Jul-16 Finn Harps 1-0 Galway United (Premier Division)
29-Oct-16 Galway United 3-2 Finn Harps (Premier Division)
OUR LAST MEETING WITH GALWAY UNITED
29th October 2016. Eamonn Deacy Park. League of Ireland Premier Division.
Galway Utd 3 – Vinny Faherty 6, Enda Curran 10, Colm Horgan 46
Finn Harps 2 – Ruairi Keating 58, Adam Hanlon 75
Galway United – Kevin Horgan; Colm Horgan, Stephen Walsh, Armin Aganovic, Stephen Folan; Paul Sinnott (Alex Byrne 62), Gary Shanahan, Ryan Connolly, Marc Ludden; Vinny Faherty, Enda Curran (Padraic Cunningham 53).
Finn Harps – Ciaran Gallagher; Ethan Boyle, Damien McNulty, Keith Cowan, Thomas McMonagle (Dave Scully 75), Ciaran Coll, Gareth Harkin, Sean Houston, BJ Banda (Adam Hanlon 52), Ruairi Keating Tony McNamee (Michael Funston 52).
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FINN HARPS GOALSCORERS 2017
Ciaran O’Connor – 2
Ethan Boyle – 1
FINN HARPS RESULTS 2017
Fri 24-Feb Finn Harps 0-1 Derry City
Fri 03-Mar Bray Wanderers 5–3 Finn Harps
FINN HARPS REMAINING FIXTURES 2017
10-Mar, 8pm Finn Harps v Galway United, Finn Park
13-Mar, 7.45pm St Patrick’s Athletic v Finn Harps, Richmond Park
18-Mar, 2pm Limerick v Finn Harps, Market Field
21 Mar, 8pm Finn Harps v Cockhill Celtic, Finn Park
25-Mar, 7.45pm Finn Harps v Sligo Rovers, Finn Park
31-Mar, 8pm Shamrock Rovers v Finn Harps, Tallaght Stadium
07-Apr, 8pm Finn Harps v Dundalk, Finn Park
14-Apr, 7.45pm Derry City v Finn Harps, Maginn Park
21-Apr, 8pm Finn Harps v Drogheda United, Finn Park
28-Apr, 7.45pm Bohemian FC v Finn Harps, Dalymount Park
05-May, 7.45pm Cork City v Finn Harps, Turners Cross
12-May, 8pm Finn Harps v Bray Wanderers, Finn Park
19-May, 7.45pm Galway United v Finn Harps, Eamonn Deacy Park
22/23 May, 8pm Finn Harps v St Patrick’s Athletic, Finn Park
26-May, 8pm Finn Harps v Limerick, Finn Park
02-Jun, 7.45pm Sligo Rovers v Finn Harps, Showgrounds
16-Jun, 8pm Finn Harps v Shamrock Rovers, Finn Park
23-Jun, 7.45pm Dundalk v Finn Harps, Oriel Park
30-Jun, 8pm Finn Harps v Derry City, Finn Park
07-Jul, 7.45pm Drogheda United v Finn Harps, United Park
14-Jul, 8pm Finn Harps v Bohemian FC, Finn Park
21-Jul, 8pm Finn Harps v Cork City, Finn Park
28-Jul, 7.45pm Bray Wanderers v Finn Harps, Carlisle Grounds
04-Aug, 8pm Finn Harps v Galway United, Finn Park
18-Aug, 7.45pm St Patrick’s Athletic v Finn Harps, Richmond Park
02-Sep, 6.30pm Limerick v Finn Harps, Market Field
15-Sep, 8pm Finn Harps v Sligo Rovers, Finn Park
22-Sep, 8pm Shamrock Rovers v Finn Harps, Tallaght Stadium
07-Oct, 7.45pm Finn Harps v Dundalk, Finn Park
15-Oct, 2pm Derry City v Finn Harps, Maginn Park
20-Oct, 8pm Finn Harps v Drogheda United, Finn Park
27-Oct, 7.45pm Bohemian FC v Finn Harps, Dalymount Park
Compiled by Finn Harps Media Team. Email: fhfcmedia@gmail.com
