Despite being down four players due to suspensions Finn Harps manager Ollie Horgan is looking forward to the huge challenge that Shamrock Rovers will pose for his team in Ballybofey tomorrow night (kick-off 8.00). Make no mistake about it the visitors will be going all out to take the three points back to the Tallaght Stadium.
Hoops boss Stephen Bradley will also be missing four players due to suspension so it’s going to be an intriguing clash at Finn Park. Horgan was expecting that Damian McNulty, Ethan Boyle, Caolan McAleer and Danny Morrissey would be banned for this game and for the manager it’s just a case of getting on with the task of extending the Harps unbeaten run to four games.
“It’s another huge match for us right after the mid-season break but it’s going to be very difficult with the four lads out due to suspensions. On the other hand you could look at it and say at least there all out of the way in one go now. Shamrock Rovers will be missing Graham Burke, David Webster, David McAllister and Trevor Clarke because of suspensions but Stephen Bradley has a far bigger squad when it comes to getting replacements. But I’m not complaining, we know what we have and our lads will get on with doing their best to get a result tomorrow night” Horgan said.
Harps are eighth in the table on 18 points with four teams below them. However, including Horgan’s outfit they are among five sides separated by just four points. Meanwhile Horgan feels this Shamrock Rovers squad, have a good chance of qualifying for European football next season.
“I have no doubt that Shamrock Rovers with their big squad will be strong enough to secure a European place come the end of the season. Ronan Finn has come back to them after winning three Premier Division Championship medals with Dundalk. He’s a really fine player in the middle of the park. Simon Madden is a classy right-back. Ryan Connolly and Brandon Meile are excellent players going forward. Shamrock Rovers form has been better recently. They won well here in Ballybofey last season and got the better of us in Tallaght back in March. We will really have to be at the very top of our form to get anything out of this game. We will be struggling numbers wise but at least Barry Molloy is back training again and hopefully the week’s break will have given Eddie Dsane more to time to recover after being out for a while with that back injury” Horgan said.
Horgan also mentioned the need for vocal backing “There must have been 300 supporters in Sligo, but it sounded like a hell of a lot more, and that probably helped us get over the line to get a point. We need the supporters behind us, they can make a real difference to us”.
Harps are offering fans the opportunity to buy season tickets for the second half of the campaign at great prices ahead of the Rovers game.
Harps Commercial Director Aidan Campbell said there are any number of reasons to avail of this offer. “We’ve added some serious attacking talent this year and there have already been some great nights in Finn Park. Former Celtic man Paddy McCourt has been pulling the strings, honestly he’s one of the most talented players I can recall at Finn Park and I am at this a fair while! Added to that, the likes of Danny Morrissey, Ciaran O Connor and Caolan McAleer have been in great form of late also and we have Pascal Millien on the way. We know we’re in a battle, but we’re up for it as a club, and with Ollie in charge we know the team will fight all the way. These season tickets are a great way to get behind Ollie and the squad as we the season reaches its crescendo, not to mention that they are the perfect Father’s Day gift and that season ticket holders are prioritized for tickets for the away game with Derry City. Add in that it saves queuing on match night and the discount involved and it’s a sure-fire winner!”
“We called on everyone at the club to Unify and Defy at the start of the season- and so far we have exceeded expectations once again. We’ve had brilliant support, especially recently against Limerick and in Sligo, and we’ll need to keep pulling together to beat the odds once more and stay in the top flight. We have had some truly amazing nights in Finn Park in recent years, the sort of nights we’ll never forget, and who knows, there could well be more of them in the eight home league games between now and the end of the campaign”, he said.
Finn Harps half season tickets can also be purchased online at www.finnharps.com and picked up at the ticket desk at Barca Bar ticket on Navenney Street on Friday night. Prices are as follows: Adult Terrace Season Ticket – €70, Adult Seated €80, Concession Terrace €60, Concession Seated €70, Primary School Kids €10, Secondary School Children €25.
