Finn Harps
After Monday night’s reversal to Shamrock Rovers, it’s another Rovers who form the opposition for Finn Harps on Saturday night when Ollie Horgan’s side make their first trip of the season the to Showgrounds to take on Sligo Rovers.
And despite the fact that Sligo only picked up their first point of the season in a 1-1 draw with Galway last Monday, Horgan said they pose a massive threat to his side who have now recorded back to back losses against Dundalk and Shamrock Rovers after the opening day victory over Derry City.
“Sligo will pose a very different and difficult task from Shamrock Rovers,” said Horgan.
“They are very quick and explosive and play very attractive attacking football. We will be starved of possession against them.”
The games are coming thick and fast for Harps at the moment and Saturday’s game will be the third of four games they will play in just twelve days. That, and the step up to the top flight, is something that Horgan and Harps have had to learn from very quickly.
“The biggest difference at moment that we have learned is the more physical demands on the players which has resulted in a number of injuries,” said Horgan.
The Harps boss will again pick from the same squad which went down 1-0 to Shamrock Rovers on Monday night as Ciaran Coll, Barry Molloy, Sean Houston, Josh Mailey and Michael Rafter all remain sidelined.
Looking back on Monday’s game, many felt that Harps deserved something from the game and it took Gary McCabe’s penalty to finally break the deadlock as the Hoops won with the only score of the game.
“To be fair, Shamrock Rovers had the better chances although we had a few half chances that could have got us a draw but we aren’t complaining,” was how Horgan viewed the game.
“While we did match Rovers for most parts of the game, we didn’t get anything out of the game which is really all that matters,” he said.
Since entering the League of Ireland in 1969, Harps have played no team more than Sligo Rovers – Saturday’s game will be the 112th meeting of the two clubs – the last of which was an FAI Cup meeting at Finn Park six years ago. Then, a Gary McCabe penalty after a quarter of an hour (the same man who scored the winner on Monday night for Shamrock Rovers from the spot) was the difference between the two sides.
TEAM NEWS
Suspended: None.
Doubtful: None.
Injured: Barry Molloy (knee), Sean Houston (hamstring), Ciaran Coll (knee), Josh Mailey, Micheal Rafter.
RECORD AGAINST SLGIO ROVERS (All Competitions)
Monday’s game will be the 112th meeting of the two clubs, and the 53rd to be played in the Showgrounds.
Total Games: 111 (52 at The Showgrounds)
Harps Wins: 45 (19 at The Showgrounds)
Rovers Wins: 38 (18 at The Showgrounds)
Draws: 28 (15 at The Showgrounds)
Harps Goals: 178 (79 at The Showgrounds)
Rovers Goals: 159 (81 at The Showgrounds)
