Match: Finn Harps v Wexford Youths
Venue: Finn Park
Date / Time: Friday 29 th July 2016 / Kick-off 8pm
WEXFORD WILL WANT TO WIN AT FINN PARK
The two teams that were just promoted to the Premier Division this season meet in what is a huge match for both sides this Friday night in Ballybofey (kick-off 8.00). Finn Harps were top of the bookies list to go straight back down, with their opponents Wexford Youths a very close second to make the drop. So far Ollie Horgan’s outfit has turned those odds pretty much on their head while Wexford are the side at the moment with most to fear in terms of relegation. So it makes for a most intriguing clash when the two sides clash at Finn Park.
The stakes will be very high and while a victory for Ollie Horgan’s side will not automatically guarantee them a place in the top flight for next season, it will certainly strengthen their position considerably in achieving that objective. At the same time defeat for Wexford would make their mission of avoiding a play-off at the end of the season much more difficult and also increase their chances of being drawn into the automatic relegation spot should bottom side Longford Town string together a series of good results.
As it stands the Donegal side is 11 points ahead of Wexford who are second from bottom of the table. Harps are three places above them with both sides having 19 matches played. The two teams will have 13 fixtures left after Friday night’s clash. So a win against the Youths would put a gap of 14 points between the sides and while Horgan certainly won’t be saying that his team will be safe, a home victory from this one in Ballybofey would be marked down as one of the key results of the season. When the two teams met at Ferrycarrig Park back in April it ended in a 1-1 draw, after the visitors had taken the lead courtesy of a first half Ryan Curran penalty. Harps actually played well enough to bag all three points that night.
In team news for Friday night the manager is entertaining some hopes of both Ciaran Coll (shoulder) and Tony McNamee (knee) being declared fit enough to be in the matchday squad. Gareth Harkin (knee) will not be available again while Horgan reports that Josh Mailey won’t be available due to injury.
Gone from the squad are Liam Flatley and Ryan McConnell who have both signed for Irish League side Ballinamallard Utd. Midfielder Flatley has made a permanent move to the Co. Fermanagh club while defender McConnell has gone on loan until January. Horgan has wished both players well with their new club while he will be hoping that the experience gained by McConnell will see him return to stake a regular place in the Harps side next season.
Kevin McHugh, who started his first match of the season in the defeat against Bray Wanderers a fortnight ago and who was replaced by Ruairi Keating for the second half of that game is likely to be on the bench for the Wexford visit. Horgan will have to decide whether to start Ryan Curran or Ruairi Keating or maybe play both strikers. Top scorer Curran who didn’t feature against Bray would appear to be the leading contender to be in the 11. Despite a disappointing run of results recently that leaves them second from bottom, the Harps boss has been stressing this week that Wexford’s record against his side has been impressive.
“Wexford have had the better of us over the years, finishing ahead of us in the table for the last number of seasons. Shane Keegan has added some serious players to an already strong team that won the first division and they have a great team spirit on top of a good style of football. Danny Furlong and Aidan Keenan have been a thorn in our side over the years and the addition of Danny Ledwith, Aidan Friel and Paul Murphy have made them even stronger” Horgan said.
While all the games in the Premier Division are huge for Harps there is no doubting that this home fixture against Wexford is one that Horgan would have been targeting three points from in the battle to stay in the top flight for next season. A big crowd is expected in Ballybofey for what should be an intriguing clash.
TEAM NEWS:
Injuries: Gareth Harkin, Josh Mailey
Doubtful: Ciaran Coll, Tony McNamee and Damien McNulty
RECORD AGAINST WEXFORD YOUTHS (All Competitions)
Friday’s game will be the 33 rd meeting of the two clubs, and the 17th to be played at Finn Park.
Total Games: 32 (16 at Finn Park)
Harps Wins: 11 (6 at Finn Park)
Wexford Wins: 13 (5 at Finn Park)
Draws: 8 (2 at Finn Park)
Harps Goals: 38 (14 at Finn Park)
Wexford Goals: 45 (24 at Finn Park)
LAST 10 GAMES v WEXFORD YOUTHS
11-Apr- 14 Finn Harps 1-1 Wexford Youths (First Division)
30-May- 14 Wexford Youths 2-2 Finn Harps (First Division)
01-Aug- 14 Finn Harps 2-2 Wexford Youths (First Division)
22-Aug- 14 Wexford Youths 1-2 Finn Harps (FAI Cup)
30-Sep- 14 Wexford Youths 3-0 Finn Harps (First Division)
18-Apr- 15 Wexford Youths 0-1 Finn Harps (First Division)
12-Jun- 15 Finn Harps 1-3 Wexford Youths (First Division)
07-Aug- 15 Wexford Youths 2-0 Finn Harps (First Division)
17-Oct- 15 Finn Harps 4-1 Wexford Youths (First Division)
29-Apr- 16 Wexford Youths 1-1 Finn Harps (Premier Division)
OUR LAST MEETING WITH WEXFORD YOUTHS
29 th April 2016. Ferrycarrig Park. League of Ireland Premier Division.
WEXFORD YOUTHS 1 Andy Mulligan 51
FINN HARPS 1 Ryan Curran 24 (Penalty)
Wexford Youths: Graham Doyle; Craig McCabe, Gary Delaney, Stephen Last, Danny Ledwith; Aidan
Friel (Shane Dunne 82), Jonny Bonner, Chris Kenny, Andy Mulligan; Eric Molloy; Paul Murphy.
Finn Harps: Ciaran Gallagher; Damien McNulty, Packie Mailey, Keith Cowan, Ciaran Coll; Adam
Hanlon (Michael Funston 74), Gareth Harkin, Sean Houston, Liam Flatley (Barry Molloy 55); Tony
McNamee; Ryan Curran.
FINN HARPS GOALSCORERS 2016
Ryan Curran – 6
Sean Houston – 4
David Scully – 3
Kevin McHugh – 1
Damien McNulty – 1
Josh Mailey – 1
Tony McNamee – 1
Ethan Boyle – 1 (in League Cup)
FINN HARPS RESULTS 2016
Fri 04-Mar Finn Harps 2-1 Derry City
Fri 11-Mar Dundalk 3–0 Finn Harps
Mon 14-Mar Finn Harps 0-1 Shamrock Rovers
Sat 19-Mar Sligo Rovers 1-1 Finn Harps
Tue 22-Mar Finn Harps 1-0 Cockhill Celtic (League Cup)
Sat 26-Mar Finn Harps 1-0 Longford Town
Fri 08-Apr Galway United 1-0 Finn Harps
Mon 11-Apr Finn Harps 1-2 St. Patrick's Athletic
Fri 15-Apr Finn Harps 1-0 Bray Wanderers
Mon 18-Apr Galway United 0-0 Finn Harps (League Cup) – Galway won 4-2 on pens.
Fri 22-Apr Cork City 3-1 Finn Harps
Fri 29-Apr Wexford Youths 1-1 Finn Harps
Fri 06-May Finn Harps 0-0 Bohemians
Tue 10-May Derry City 2–2 Finn Harps
Fri 13-May Finn Harps 0-7 Dundalk
Tue 20-May St. Patrick's Athletic 4-0 Finn Harps
Sat 21 May Finn Harps 0-1 Crumlin United (FAI Cup)
Sun 29-May Shamrock Rovers 1-1 Finn Harps
Fri 3-Jun Finn Harps 3-0 Sligo Rovers
Fri 24-Jun Longford 0-2 Finn Harps
Fri 8-Jul Finn Harps 1-0 Galway United
Sat 16-Jul Bray Wanderers 1-0 Finn Harps
FINN HARPS REMAINING FIXTURES 2016
Fri 29-Jul Wexford Youths (h)
Fri 05-Aug Bohemians (a)
Fri 12-Aug Derry City (h)
Fri 26-Aug Shamrock Rovers (h)
Fri 03-Sep Sligo Rovers (a)
Sat 16-Sep Longford Town (h)
Fri 23-Sep St. Patrick's Athletic (h)
Fri 30-Sep Galway United (a)
Fri 07-Oct Bray Wanderers (h)
Fri 14-Oct Cork City (a)
Fri 21-Oct Wexford Youths (a)
Fri 28-Oct Bohemians (h)
TBC Cork City (h)
TBC Dundalk (a)
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