Finn Harps put a five game unbeaten run on the line when they travel to second placed Longford Town on Saturday night. Kick-off at Flancare Park is 7.30pm.
Harps extended their unbeaten sequence of results with a 2-0 victory over SD Galway at Finn Park last Friday night, thanks to two second half strikes from Kevin McHugh who took his tally to nine in all competitions this season.
The only defeats suffered by Harps in their last eight games have come at the hands of the top two – Limerick and Saturday’s opponents Longford Town.
Harps boss Peter Hutton is hoping to keep the run going, but knows it won’t be easy against a Longford side who recently added four new faces to their squad.
“We’ve built up a good bit of momentum in recent weeks and it would be a shame to lose that now,” he said.
“The boys want to keep the run going as long as they can and we’re ready to fight for every point between now and the end of the season to try and finish as high as we can.”
Harps have already beaten Longford this season – 3-1 at Flancare Park back in April. Then, Harps came from a goal down to secure victory with goals from Paul Simon Tracey, Thomas McBride and Blain Curtis. None of that trio of players will be involved on Saturday evening as Tracey has left the club while McBride and Curtis miss out through suspension and injury respectively.
Hutton says that his team goes into the game with nothing to lose.
“There’s no pressure on us”, he said. “We’ll go into the game looking to express ourselves and have a real go at them. It will certainly be a big challenge because they’ve improved their squad in recent weeks with the signings of players like Robert Bayly, Darragh Reynor, Willie McDonagh and Tony Griffiths. They’re a team looking at building their squad for the Premier Division.”
“We are on decent run. We are unbeaten in five games and while we know that Longford have a strong squad and are chasing promotion we don’t fear them and all the boys are looking forward to the game,” concluded Hutton.
Aaron O’Hagan returns from suspension, while Thomas McBride is still banned. Gary Merrit is a doubt, while Mark Scoltock and Michael Funston remain out.
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TEAM NEWS
Suspended: Thomas McBride (6th of 8 games).
Doubtful: Gary Merritt (groin).
Injured: Mark Scoltock (back), Michael Funston (ankle), Stephen O’Donnell (cruciate), Hugh Carlin (cruciate), Blain Curtis (cruciate).
Form Guide (last six league games)
Finn Harps: L-W-D-D-D-W (9 pts)
Longford Town: W-D-D-L-W-D (9 pts)
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Last six away games against Longford Town
30/05/2009 – Longford Town 0-0 Finn Harps (First Division)
06/03/2010 – Longford Town 3-2 Finn Harps (First Division)
13/08/2010 – Longford Town 1-0 Finn Harps (First Division)
03/06/2011 – Longford Town 0-0 Finn Harps (FAI Cup)
09/07/2011 – Longford Town 3-2 Finn Harps (First Division)
14/04/2012 – Longford Town 1-3 Finn Harps (First Division)
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Finn Harps Goalscorers 2012
Kevin McHugh – 9 (1 in League Cup)
Adam Clarke – 4
Thomas McBride – 3
Paul McVeigh – 2
Blain Curtis – 2
Ciaran Coll – 2
Paul Simon Tracey – 2
Thomas McMonagle – 2
Matt Harkin – 2
Thomas Bonner – 1
Aaron O’Hagan – 1
Shaun McGowan – 1
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Finn Harps Results 2012 (Harps goalscorers in brackets)
03/08/2012 – (FD) Finn Harps 2-0 SD Galway (McHugh 2)
27/07/2012 – (FD) Waterford United 1-1 Finn Harps (Harkin)
21/07/2012 – (FD) Finn Harps 3-3 Wexford Youths (McMonagle, McHugh, McGowan)
13/07/2012 – (FD) Athlone Town 1-1 Finn Harps (O’Hagan)
07/07/2012 – (FD) Finn Harps 3-2 Mervue United (McHugh, McVeigh 2)
29/06/2012 – (FD) Limerick 3-0 Finn Harps
22/06/2012 – (FD) Finn Harps 1-3 Longford Town (Harkin)
30/05/2012 – (FD) Salthill Devon 1-5 Finn Harps (Bonner, McBride 2, Coll 2)
23/05/2012 – (FC) Derry City 4-0 Finn Harps
18/05/2012 – (FD) Finn Harps 0-1 Waterford United
11/05/2012 – (FD) Wexford Youths 3-0 Finn Harps
05/05/2012 – (FD) Finn Harps 1-2 Athlone Town (McHugh)
27/04/2012 – (FD) Mervue United 3-0 Finn Harps
21/04/2012 – (FD) Finn Harps 1-3 Limerick (Clarke)
14/04/2012 – (FD) Longford Town 1-3 Finn Harps (Tracey, McBride, Curtis)
09/04/2012 – (LC) Derry City 4-0 Finn Harps
06/04/2012 – (FD) Finn Harps 3-0 Salthill Devon (Clarke, McHugh, Curtis)
31/03/2012 – (FD) Waterford United 0-2 Finn Harps (Tracey, Waterford o.g.)
26/03/2012 – (LC) Finn Harps 2-0 Mayo League (Mayo o.g., McHugh)
24/03/2012 – (FD) Finn Harps 0-1 Wexford Youths
16/03/2012 – (FD) Athlone Town 2-0 Finn Harps
10/03/2012 – (FD) Finn Harps 4-3 Mervue United (Clarke, McHugh 2, McMonagle)
02/03/2012 – (FD) Limerick 2-1 Finn Harps (Clarke)
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