Finn Harps face a mammoth task tomorrow night when Ollie Horgan’s face the mighty Dundalk at Oriel Park (kick-off 8.00). Since returning to the Premier Division last season Harps have lost all four games against Stephen Kenny’s side, conceding 14 goals and failing to score themselves in any of those meetings.
Horgan feels that last Friday night’s hammering of their neighbours Drogheda Utd demonstrates that Dundalk have found their top form again. “They have hit top form again after that big win over Drogheda. There is never a good time to play Dundalk and that’s especially true now. We haven’t scored against them since coming back into the Premier Division and they gave us a real hiding in Ballybofey last season. We will be under savage pressure against the quality that they have” Horgan said.
So that is the enormous scale of the challenge facing the visitors, who on the plus side will be boosted by the return of Ethan Boyle (pictured), Damian McNulty, Caolan McAleer and Danny Morrissey from suspension. However, Ciaran O’Connor isn’t available as he is on loan from Dundalk. Horgan does have injury concerns including Paddy McCourt who hobbled off in the latter stages of the Hoops game. Also doubtful are central defender Packie Mailey and veteran midfielder Barry Molloy.
Harps will be long odds to get even a point against Dundalk who hammered fellow strugglers Drogheda Utd 6-0 last Friday night. After a decent run before the mid-season break, Horgan’s men suffered a disappointing 1-0 loss to Shamrock Rovers in Ballybofey last Friday night. Dundalk, second in the table, is 16 points ahead of Harps.
TEAM NEWS
Suspended: None
Doubtful: Paddy McCourt, Barry Molloy, Packie Mailey
Injured:
Unavailable: Ciaran O’Connor
LAST 10 GAMES v DUNDALK
19-Nov-06 Finn Harps 0-1 Dundalk – First Division
08-Mar-07 Dundalk 3-2 Finn Harps – First Division
11-May-07 Finn Harps 0-0 Dundalk – First Division
12-Jul-07 Dundalk 1-1 Finn Harps – First Division
14-Sep-07 Finn Harps 1-0 Dundalk – First Division
16-Nov-07 Finn Harps 2-0 Dundalk – Promotion/Relegation Play-Off
11-Mar-16 Dundalk 3-0 Finn Harps – Premier Division
13-May-16 Finn Harps 0-7 Dundalk – Premier Division
12-Sep-16 Dundalk 2-0 Finn Harps – Premier Division
7-Apr-17 Finn Harps 0-2 Dundalk – Premier Division
OUR LAST MEETING WITH DUNDALK
7th April 2017. Finn Park. League of Ireland Premier Division.
FINN HARPS 0
DUNDALK 2 David McMillan (34, 54)
Finn Harps – Ciaran Gallagher; Ethan Boyle, Damien McNulty, Kilian Cantwell, Ciaran Coll, Gareth Harkin; Paddy McCourt (Eddie Dsane 68), Barry Molloy (Mickey Funston 76), Jonny Bonner (BJ Banda 82), Caolan McAleer; Sean Houston. Not used: Simon McGlynn, Packie Mailey, Tommy McMonagle, Harry Doherty (Gk).
Dundalk – Gary Rogers; Niclas Vemmelund, Sean Hoare, Brian Gartland, Dane Massey; Jamie McGrath, Conor Clifford, Chris Shields (Stephen O’Donnell 84), Michael Duffy; Thomas Stewart (John Mountney 86); David McMillan (Ciaran Kilduff 87).
FINN HARPS GOALSCORERS 2017 (All competitions)
Ciaran O’Connor – 5
Sean Houston – 4 (1 EA Sports Cup)
Danny Morrissey – 3
Caolan McAleer – 2
Jonny Bonner – 2 (2 EA Sports Cup)
Ethan Boyle – 1
Kilian Cantwell – 1
Paddy McCourt – 1
BJ Banda – 1
Michael Funston – 1
Barry Molloy – 1
Packie Mailey – 1
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 Bohemian FC 2-0 Finn Harps
Fri 5-May Cork City 5-0 Finn Harps
Fri 12-May Finn Harps 0-3 Bray Wanderers
Fri 19-May Galway United 2-1 Finn Harps
Mon 22-May Finn Harps 3-1 St. Patrick’s Athletic
Fri 26-May Finn Harps 3-2 Limerick
Fri 2-Jun Sligo Rovers 0-0 Finn Harps
Fri 16-Jun Finn Harps 0-1 Shamrock Rovers
FINN HARPS REMAINING FIXTURES 2017
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
