Hot on the heels of their last gasp derby draw with Derry City on Tuesday night, Finn Harps are back in action on Friday when back-to-back Champions Dundalk make their first visit to Finn Park since 2007.
Harps go into the game on the back of three successive draws against Wexford Youths, Bohemians and Derry City but Friday’s game is without doubt a step up from each of those games.
“Dundalk are the best team in the league and not too many have beaten them home or away in the last couple of years,” said Harps boss Ollie Horgan as he plots his plan ahead of Friday evening’s game.
“It is a huge task to play Dundalk if you had a week to prepare for the game, but it makes it even harder with three days. That said, it’s the same turnaround for both teams and we’ll prepare as best as we can ahead of the game.”
Tuesday night’s draw with Derry was one of mixed emotions for Horgan. On one hand, he watched as he side were only five minutes away from a first ever league victory at the Brandywell as Harps led 1-0. However, as the game went into added time, Harps had conceded twice and were staring defeat in the face until Sean Houston popped up with an injury time equaliser.
“There is a part of you thinking with just minutes to go ‘Can we hold on and win this?’” said Horgan. “Our luck was in. We defended well, despite Ciaran (Galalgher) being kept busy in goals.
“It was backs-to-the-walls stuff for the majority of the game, albeit we played very well in the first 20 minutes and deservedly went ahead. From there on, Derry City took over. They’re an excellent side.
“They came down the right with chance after chance. At 2-1 down in injury time, we showed great character and resolve. We went one more time and came up with the equaliser, a very decent goal of our own.
“We may not have the quality of players that they have, but we try to make up for that in other ways, as we showed with the equalising goal.
Tony McNamee limped off during the second half of Tuesday’s derby with hamstring trouble and will be an absentee on Friday. On top of that, Josh Mailey (groin), Raymond Foy (hamstring), Michael Rafter (ankle), Matthew Crossan (knee) and Gareth Harkin (calf) all remain out for the visit of Stephen Kenny’s Champions.
Harps have only played Dundalk once in nine years – the earlier season meeting at Oriel Park where Dundalk ran out 3-0 winners.
Their recent record against the Lilywhites may be a good one – Harps have lost only four times in the last seventeen meetings between the sides – but this is a different Dundalk these days. All of those, aside from the March meeting of the clubs, were in the First Division.
The two sides haven’t met in the top flight at Finn Park since May 1999 when Fergal Harkin’s goal ended Jim McLaughlin’s League of Ireland career with defeat and relegated Dundalk to the First Division for the first time in their history.
TEAM NEWS
Suspended: None.
Doubtful: None.
Injured: Josh Mailey (groin), Raymond Foy (hamstring), Michael Rafter (ankle), Matthew Crossan (knee), Gareth Harkin (calf), Tony McNamee (hamstring).
RECORD AGAINST DUNDALK (All Competitions)
Friday’s game will be the 76th meeting of the two clubs, and the 35th to be played at Finn Park.
Total Games: 75 (34 at Finn Park)
Harps Wins: 29 (16 at Finn Park)
Dundalk Wins: 26 (10 at Finn Park)
Draws: 20 (8 at Finn Park)
Harps Goals: 104 (52 at Finn Park)
Dundalk Goals: 98 (36 at Finn Park)
LAST 10 GAMES v DUNDALK
04-May-06 Dundalk 1-3 Finn Harps – First Division
15-Jul-06 Finn Harps 1-2 Dundalk – First Division
15-Sep-06 Dundalk 1-1 Finn Harps – First Division
19-Nov-06 Finn Harps 0-1 Dundalk – First Division
08-Mar-07 Dundalk 3-2 Finn Harps – First Division
11-May-07 Finn Harps 0-0 Dundalk – First Division
12-Jul-07 Dundalk 1-1 Finn Harps – First Division
14-Sep-07 Finn Harps 1-0 Dundalk – First Division
16-Nov-07 Finn Harps 2-0 Dundalk – Promotion/Relegation Play-Off
11-Mar-16 Dundalk 3-0 Finn Harps – Premier Division
