League of Ireland football returns on Friday night after the mid-season break and Finn Harps will be hoping for a change in fortunes as they make the long trip to the RSC to face Waterford United (kick-off 7.45pm).
Sean McCarron will play up front for Harps
Harps went into the break on the back of a three game losing streak in the league and team boss Peter Hutton feels the break may just have come at the right time for his troops.
“Given the nature of the last few performances, then yes I think the break came at the right time. Mentally I think a few of the players needed a break whilst a few had knocks or injuries that the rest will certainly have helped. The short break will, we hope, have helped in allowing the group to take stock and refocus now for the second half of the season,” said Hutton.
Harps’ last outing two weeks ago came against bottom of the table Salthill Devon who recorded their first home victory of the season courtesy of a 2-1 victory.
“It was a very disappointing result”, said Hutton of the defeat in Drom. “We have actually played worse and won this season but unfortunately if you don’t take your chances then you will get punished and that’s exactly what happened.
“We had enough chances to win two or three games but didn’t convert them and then conceded from a penalty that set us back. We got ourselves back on track with ten minutes to go but again shot ourselves in the foot by some sloppy defending allowing them to sneak a winner in the final minutes.”
The defeat in Salthill was Harps’ third in a row in the league with losses in Wexford (2-1) and at home to Athlone Town (3-2) preceding the game in Galway. In the Wexford and Athlone games, Harps actually took the lead (twice against Athlone) but still ended up losing, while the game in Salthill saw Harps fight back to level but still lost the game. Prior to that, Harps had only lost twice all season.
“The 3 games we’ve lost have been difficult to stomach as we have been the architects of our own downfall,” said Hutton. “Those games in question it has been our own decision making or lack of making the right decisions in certain situations has cost us, not the quality of the opposition, so in that regard it has been very frustrating. To have led in two of the games then get nothing from it has been difficult but we need to learn and quickly.”
Another difficult game awaits on Friday night against a Waterford side who have already beaten Harps at Finn Park this season.
“Waterford are starting to build a bit of momentum and the players are basically playing for the careers with the arrival of a new manager imminent,” said Hutton of Friday’s trip to the south-east.
“They have improved of late and have already made three new signings with more to come so they are going to prove a difficult opponent no doubt.”
Harps have a decent record at the RSC in recent seasons and are unbeaten in their last four trips to Waterford. The opening day meeting of the two sides at the same venue finished in a 1-1 draw, with Sean McCarron grabbing a last minute equaliser for Harps.
Tommy Bonner will sit out Friday’s game through suspension, while Gary Merritt is only returning to full health after a bout of flu. Ciaran Coll remains on the injured list with an ankle injury picked up in the game with Athlone Town.
TEAM NEWS
Suspended: Tommy Bonner.
Doubtful: Gary Merritt.
Injured: Ciaran Coll (ankle).
Form Guide (last six league games)
Finn Harps: D-W-W-L-L-L (7 pts)
Waterford United: D-L-L-W-W-W (10 pts)
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Last six away games against Waterford United
09-Oct-10 – Waterford United 3-1 Finn Harps (First Division)
25-Mar-11 – Waterford United 1-0 Finn Harps (First Division)
09-Sep-11 – Waterford United 0-0 Finn Harps (First Division)
31-Mar-12 – Waterford United 0-2 Finn Harps (First Division)
27-Jul-12 – Waterford United 1-1 Finn Harps (First Division)
08-Mar-13 – Waterford United 1-1 Finn Harps (First Division)
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Finn Harps Goalscorers 2013
Sean McCarron – 8 (1 in FAI Cup)
Kevin McHugh – 6
Thomas McMonagle – 2
Michael Funston – 2
Keith Cowan – 2 (1 in FAI Cup)
Thomas McBride – 1 (in League Cup)
Matt Harkin – 1 (in League Cup)
James Doherty – 1 (in League Cup)
Marc Brolly – 1 (in League Cup)
Aaron O’Hagan – 1 (in League Cup)
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Finn Harps Results 2013 (Harps goalscorers in brackets)
14-Jun-2013 – AL – Salthill Devon 2-1 Finn Harps (Funston)
08-Jun-2013 – AL – Finn Harps 2-3 Athlone Town (Funston, Cowan)
31-May-2013 – FAI – Finn Harps 2-1 Wexford Youths (Cowan, McCarron)
24-May-2013 – AL – Wexford Youths 2-1 Finn Harps (McCarron)
20-May-2013 – LC – Finn Harps 1-1 Derry City (O’Hagan) – Derry win 6-5 on penalties
17-May-2013 – AL – Finn Harps 1-0 Mervue United (McCarron)
11-May-2013 – AL – Longford Town 2-3 Finn Harps (McCarron, McHugh, McDonagh og.)
04-May-2013 – AL – Cobh Ramblers 2-2 Finn Harps (McHugh, McCarron)
26-Apr-2013 – AL – Finn Harps 0-1 Waterford United
19-Apr-2013 – AL – Finn Harps 1-0 Salthill Devon (McMonagle)
12-Apr-2013 – AL – Athlone Town 1-0 Finn Harps
05-Apr-2013 – AL – Finn Harps 0-0 Wexford Youths
29-Mar-2013 – AL – Mervue United 2-2 Finn Harps (McMonagle, McHugh)
23-Mar-2013 – AL – Finn Harps 1-0 Longford Town (McHugh)
15-Mar-2013 – AL – Finn Harps 4-1 Cobh Ramblers (McCarron 2, McHugh 2)
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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