If Cork City weren’t so dominant this season then Bray Wanderers would be serious contenders for the League of Ireland Premier Division title. That’s according to Finn Harps manager Ollie Horgan as his team prepares to host Bray at Finn Park tomorrow night (kick-off 8.00). “Bray is a proper side. If Cork City weren’t so strong then they would certainly have a very big chance of winning the league this season. They improved in the second half of last season and have just got better again this year. They put five goals past us at the Carlisle Grounds at the end of March and are second in the table coming to play us at Finn Park. Adding players of the quality of Aaron Greene and Gary McCabe gives them a great chance of qualifying for Europe. We have our work cut out to get something from every game we play but it will be particularly difficult against Bray” said Horgan, who will watch the match from the stand after receiving a one match suspension following his dismissal during the Bohemians game at Dalymount Park at the beginning of the month.
After three straight defeats the manager is desperate to get a result tomorrow night but the news is not much better on the casualty list with Eddie Dsane, Danny Morrissey, Jonny Bonner, Packie Mailey and B.J. Banda absent again. Paddy McCourt is rated very doubtful again with a hip problem but keeper Harry Doherty could return to the squad after that serious head injury sustained against Sligo Rovers at the beginning of May. Barry Molloy will return after suspension but Pascal Millien is still not available having not yet received a work permit.
“We still have a lot of players out, but I’m not going to make excuses because of that. We have to get on with the players that are available. We have still managed to get out decent first elevens that should have been capable of taking something from the Drogheda and Bohemians games. And we did well against Cork for an hour at Turners Cross before they got the second goal” Horgan concluded.
Team News
Suspended: None
Doubtful: Paddy McCourt, Harry Doherty
Injured: Eddie Dsane, Danny Morrissey, Jonny Bonner, Packie Mailey and B.J. Banda
LAST 10 GAMES v BRAY WANDERERS
28-May-05 Finn Harps 1-2 Bray Wanderers (Premier Division)
19-Aug-05 Bray Wanderers 2-1 Finn Harps (Premier Division)
18-Nov-05 Finn Harps 2-4 Bray Wanderers (Premier Division)
04-Apr-08 Bray Wanderers 1-0 Finn Harps (Premier Division)
27-Jun-08 Finn Harps 1-0 Bray Wanderers (Premier Division)
26-Sep-08 Bray Wanderers 0-1 Finn Harps (Premier Division)
15-Apr-16 Finn Harps 1-0 Bray Wanderers (Premier Division)
16-Jul-16 Bray Wanderers 1-0 Finn Harps (Premier Division)
07-Oct-16 Finn Harps 2-1 Bray Wanderers (Premier Division)
03-Mar-17 Bray Wanderers 5-3 Finn Harps (Premier Division)
LAST MEETING WITH BRAY WANDERERS
Friday 3rd Match 2017. Carlisle Grounds. League of Ireland Premier Division.
Bray Wanderers 5 Anthony Flood 9, Gary McCabe 20, Aaron Greene 43, Gary McCabe 59, Dylan Connolly 68
Finn Harps 3 Ciaran O’Connor 33, 48, Ethan Boyle 75
Bray Wanderers: Peter Cherrie; Hugh Douglas, Tim Clancy, Conor Kenna, Kevin Lynch; John Sullivan, Keith Buckley (Mark Salmon 66), Gary McCabe (Karl Moore 90+1); Aaron Greene, Dylan Connolly, Anthony Flood.
Subs not used: Lee Steacy (gk), Derek Foran, Jamie Aherne, Jason Marks, Ryan Brennan.
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher (Harry Doherty 61); Ethan Boyle, Damien McNulty, Killian Cantwell, Ciaran Coll; Barry Molloy (Gareth Harkin 73), Jonny Bonner, Sean Houston, Michael Funston (Paddy McCourt 63), Caolan McAleer; Ciaran O’Connor.
Subs not used: Packie Mailey, Thomas McMonagle, Danny Morrissey, Eddie Dsane.
FINN HARPS GOALSCORERS 2017 (All competitions)
Ciaran O’Connor – 4
Sean Houston – 4 (1 EA Sports Cup)
Jonny Bonner – 2 (2 EA Sports Cup)
Ethan Boyle – 1
Kilian Cantwell – 1
Caolan McAleer – 1
Paddy McCourt – 1
BJ Banda – 1
Michael Funston – 1
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FINN HARPS RESULTS 2017
Fri 24-Feb Finn Harps 0-1 Cork City
Fri 03-Mar Bray Wanderers 5–3 Finn Harps
Fri 10-Mar Finn Harps 1-1 Galway Utd
Mon 13-Mar St. Patrick’s Athletic 1-2 Finn Harps
Sat 18-Mar Limerick 1-1 Finn Harps
Sat 25-Mar Finn Harps 2-1 Sligo Rovers
Fri 31-Mar Shamrock Rovers 3-2 Finn Harps
Mon 03-Apr Finn Harps 3-1 Cockhill Celtic (EA Sports Cup)
Fri 07-Apr Finn Harps 0-2 Dundalk
Fri 14-Apr Derry City 0-2 Finn Harps
Mon 16-Apr Finn Harps 0-1 Sligo Rovers (EA Sports Cup)
Fri 21-Apr Finn Harps 0-2 Drogheda United
Fri 28-Apr Cork City 5-0 Finn Harps
FINN HARPS REMAINING FIXTURES 2017
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, fhfcmedia@gmail.com
