Table-toppers Finn Harps will be hoping to continue their unbeaten start to the season when they host new-boys Galway FC at Finn Park on Saturday evening (kick-off 7.45pm).
Harps striker Ruairi Keating is one of a number of players in flying form for Finn Harps. Pic by Gary Foy.
Last Friday evening’s 5-0 hammering of Cobh Ramblers saw Harps increase their unbeaten start in the league to three games and keep their third clean sheet in a row.
When you factor in the end of last season, it means Harps are now unbeaten in five league games and haven’t conceded a goal in 360 minutes of league football – the last goal against them coming when Garbhan Coughlan scored an injury time consolation for Athlone Town in a 3-2 victory for Harps on 4th October last year.
“I was obviously very happy to get three points on Friday,” said Harps boss Ollie Horgan as he reflected on the game against Cobh.
“I felt our second goal from Carel Tiofack came slightly against the run of play as we didn’t start the second half particularity well. However, after that, the result wasn’t in doubt really.”
Horgan was also delighted to see his side record another blank scoreline for the opposition and he has yet to witness his Harps side concede in league action this season.
“It is always good to keep a clean sheet but we ran our luck a little especially from one or two Cobh set-pieces. This is something we will need to improve on ahead of the game against Galway.”
With Galway the visitors to Finn Park on Saturday, Horgan feels this could be the toughest test his side has faced this season.
“Galway have huge potential,” he said. “They have quality players like Ryan Connolly, Vinny Faherty and Gary Shanaghan who have all played with top Premier Division sides. Add in young Ryan Manning and Jason Molloy and they will pose a huge attacking threat to us.”
The Harps boss continued: “It would be great to see a big crowd come out on Saturday as a good atmosphere can definitely play its part in encouraging any team, and we are no different. Galway have a lot of quality and play good football so it’s a challenge we will be relishing.”
On the team front, Horgan is still missing Kevin McHugh and Gareth Harkin with hamstring injuries. Sean McCarron remains sidelined with a fractured cheek while Ciaran Coll and Keith Cowan are doubts after they both picked up knocks in Friday’s game with Cobh.
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TEAM NEWS
Suspended: None.
Doubtful: Ciaran Coll (knock), Keith Cowan (knock)..
Injured: Kevin McHugh (hamstring), Gareth Harkin (hamstring), Sean McCarron (fractured cheek).
Form Guide (last six league games)
Finn Harps: L-W-D-D-W-W (11 pts)
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Finn Harps Goalscorers 2014
Pat McCann – 3
Ruairi Keating – 2 (1 in League Cup)
Keith Cowan – 1
James Doherty – 1
Michael Funston – 1
Carel Tiofack – 1
Sean McCarron – 1 (in League Cup)
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Finn Harps Results 2014 (Finn Harps scorers in brackets)
21-Mar – 2014 – Lg – Finn Harps 5-0 Cobh Ramblers (Doherty, Tiofack, McCann 2, Keating)
16-Mar-2014 – Lg – Shamrock Rovers B 0-3 Finn Harps (Cowan, Funston, McCann)
10-Mar-2014 – LC – Finn Harps 3-2 Cockhill Celtic (McCarron, O’Donnell o.g., Keating)
07-Mar-2014 – Lg – Finn Harps 0-0 Waterford United
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