After an excellent 1-1 draw in Waterford last weekend, Finn Harps will be hoping to build on that as they host their opening home game of the season on Friday night against Cobh Ramblers at Finn Park (kick-off 8.00pm).
With a feel good factor around Finn Park at the moment, and having picked up a decent point last weekend, Finn Harps Manager Peter Hutton is appealing to the northwest public to come out in numbers to support his side on Friday and throughout the season.
“Any player will tell you how much better it is to play in front of a good crowd. It is extremely difficult to try and recreate the buzz and atmosphere when Finn Park is packed with supporters.
“This group of players are working tirelessly in an effort to get this great club back to where it belongs but they too need help and they need that extra man on the terraces showing them that their endeavours and sacrifices are not been wasted and that the Finn Harps faithful, and indeed the entire local footballing fraternity, support them and acknowledge the commitment these players are demonstrating for their club.”
“I fully appreciate and understand the difficulties people face in the current economic climate but maybe even attending a Harps game will provide a positive distraction for some people. Real football fans long for something to support and become involved in and we understand that so as a group, we are working tirelessly to provide a team the community can be proud of and entrust to match their passion and ambition but we can’t do it alone, we need support and we need people to realise that this young team needs encouragement and belief in them.”
“No matter who you are or what you don in life, we all respond better to encouragement and if we as a whole can embrace the same passion and desire shown by these players and recreate it in the stands then I’ve no doubt this club will take some stopping. So in a nutshell, we need our true supporters to come out in their droves this Friday and show their support and I’d even encourage lapsed supporters to dust off their old scarfs and hats and get out and watch a live game and experience the roller coaster of what it is to be a real football fan again.”
Looking back at last week’s opening day fixture at the RSC, an 89th minute equaliser from Sean McCarron gave Hutton’s side a deserved share of the spoils.
The Harps boss felt his side deserved their point after a nervy opening half. “I thought Friday night’s result was a positive one considering we only really played for 45 minutes. In the first half we looked nervous and edgy and we looked the same in training that morning in which again we appeared a little anxious,” said Hutton.
“Because of this we lacked composure and made some silly mistakes which unfortunately we got punished for and could have even fell further behind, so I was happy to get to half-time still in the game knowing we could regroup and change a few things. Second half we were much better and dominated possession. I thought Shaun McGowan and Tommy McBride were excellent and their drive and industry got us back into it. Sean McCarron also did well and helped provide more options in the final third.
“I spoke to the boys at half-time about taking more responsibility and displaying more character particularly when in possession and they certainly did that in the second half and were fully deserving of the equaliser. We nearly sneaked the win with Kevin McHugh’s free kick hitting the post in the final seconds but if I’m honest a draw was a fair result on the 90 minutes.”
In the lead-up to the game, Hutton had said that while it wasn’t vital that his team picked up at least a point, it’s better to get points on the board sooner rather than later. So, he said Friday’s point is a big one in more ways than one.
“It helps. Confidence is a big thing in football and if we had left Waterford with nothing after our second half performance we’d have been very disappointed, so to get the equaliser so late in the game gives the boys a lift and enables them to look forward to the next game in a positive mindset.”
Friday night’s game at Finn Park sees Cobh Ramblers visit. The Cork men have returned to the senior game having failed to obtain a league licence after their relegation from the Premier Division in 2008.
While McCarron’s 89th minute strike was giving Harps a share of the spoils at the RSC, the Ramblers were hammering Wexford Youths 5-0 at St. Colmans Park – a result that has seen the rest of the First Division sit up and take notice of Dave Hill’s side. Many felt that Cobh would struggle on their comeback to senior football but not Peter Hutton.
“I fully expect Cobh to be dark horses this year and will do a lot better than what many people predicted,” said Hutton of Friday’s visitors. “Dave Hill is a shrewd manager who will have them extremely well organised and disciplined defensively so will give very little away but they also possess a real goal threat in Conor Meade and Davin O’Neill. Cobh have recruited very well in the off season with experienced League of Ireland campaigners returning to the fold and that matched with some talented young players gives them a good balance throughout their squad. They will do well this season,” feels Hutton.
“Again we will look to the positives from the Waterford game and try to work on eradicating the silly mistakes with a focus on Cobh at home. The point away to Waterford is worthless if we don’t get something from the Cobh game,” warns the Harps boss.
On the team front, Harps will have to plan without the suspended Tommy McBride who was sent-off late in the game at the RSC on Friday. Ciaran Coll remains sidelined, but other than that Hutton has a full squad to choose from.
Finally, the club have announced a family friendly offer for their first two home games of the season, to accommodate those with younger football fans in the household. All children u-12 who are accompanied by an sdult, can enjoy Friday’s game against Cobh Ramblers and the following week’s home game against Longford Town for just €1 each!
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TEAM NEWS
Suspended: Thomas McBride (automatic red card suspension)
Doubtful: None.
Injured: Ciaran Coll (cartilage tear).
Form Guide (last six league games)
Finn Harps: W-D-L-L-W-D (8 pts)
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Last six home games against Cobh Ramblers
22-Apr-06 – Finn Harps 1-1 Cobh Ramblers (First Division)
09-Sep-06 – Finn Harps 1-2 Cobh Ramblers (First Division)
25-May-07 – Finn Harps 0-1 Cobh Ramblers (First Division)
28-Sep-07 – Finn Harps 1-0 Cobh Ramblers (First Division)
07-Mar-08 – Finn Haprs 2-1 Cobh Ramblers (Premier Division)
22-Aug-08 – Finn Harps 2-2 Cobh Ramblers (Premier Division)
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Finn Harps Goalscorers 2013
Sean McCarron – 1
Thomas McBride – 1 (in League Cup)
Matt Harkin – 1 (in League Cup)
James Doherty – 1 (in League Cup)
Marc Brolly – 1 (in League Cup)
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Finn Harps Results 2013 (Harps goalscorers in brackets)
08-Mar-2013 – AL – Waterford United 1-1 Finn Harps (McCarron)
03-Mar-2013 – LC – Mayo League 1-4 Finn Harps (Harkin, Doherty, Brolly, McBride)
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