Ollie Horgan has no doubts there’s still a long way to go in the relegation dogfight as Finn Harps travel to South Dublin to take on UCD in a bottom of the table clash.
Finn Harps got back on the right track last Friday with an impressive 3-0 win over Drogheda United at Finn Park thanks to a Filip Mihaljević penalty and an Eric McWoods brace.
Ollie Horgan’s side were knocked down to 10th and bottom after The Students drew away to Drogheda the previous Monday, but the team reacted well and were comfortable in victory over Kevin Doherty’s side to move two points clear of Friday’s opponents.
And while the result and performance showed promising signs for the Donegal club, boss Horgan isn’t getting carried away after the first win in 12 league games, stating the side need to back up that win with a result on Friday.
Horgan said: “Obviously (the win against Drogheda) can only help but if we don’t get a result on Friday night we’re back where we started, bottom of the table again.
“There’s no one thinking we’re out of the woods here, we’re in a dogfight, we always knew we would be and it certainly still is.”
Horgan has however played down the immediate importance of the game, with 11 games to go and Finn Harps still to host UCD at Finn Park again.
He added: “We don’t go and say ‘we’ll we cant lose this and we need to win this’ we try and get something out of every game but most times it doesn’t go your way but we’re not looking at it that way.
“If we could get a point at this stage we’ll go up the road with open arms but that’s easier said than done with the way they play at home in particular.
“They have loads of legs and ability, technically they’re very good.”
The two meetings between the sides this year ended in a 0-0 draw on the first game of the season in Dublin, while UCD snatched a 1-0 victory at Finn Park in May thanks to a late Liam Kerrigan goal.
And Horgan knows the quality The Students possess having watched them in recent weeks.
“I watched their game against Cockhill and they kept the ball for fun and Cockhill are a very good side and I watched them in Drogheda last week and they had huge energy and legs especially in the last 20 minutes.
“It’s going to be a very hot evening and all of those factors are going to be very difficult but please god we’ll have gained a bit of confidence from last Friday to take with us to Belfield but we’ll need it and maybe more.
“Only time will tell, I don’t think anyone is getting too carried away about one win.”
