Soccer

Finn Harps travel to Dundalk in hope rather than expectation

Finn Harps take on Dundalk on Monday night  
Finn Harps take on Dundalk on Monday night   Finn Harps take on Dundalk on Monday night  

AND then there were three. Finn Harps are now effectively in competition with just two other sides as the battle intensifies to see who will remain in the top flight of the League of Ireland Premier Division.

Harps travel to champions Dundalk on Monday night more in hope than anything else for a re-arranged match in a season blighted with fixture alterations and postponements. The Donegal side are third from bottom and have a five point cushion above Wexford Youths who occupy the relegation play-off berth while Longford Town are a further eight points adrift in the automatic relegation position at the foot of the table.

On Saturday, Bray Wanderers – who have lost only one game in 12 – beat Longford 2-0 to move to 30 points, some seven ahead of Harps. The Wicklow side is now surely safe, leaving Harps as the only side that Wexford can really catch with Longford all but doomed at this juncture. Dominant Dundalk will be expected to hoover up another three points against a Harps side that they have already beaten 3-0 and 7-0 this season.

Harps boss Ollie Horgan goes into the game with a weakened side, due to a combination of injuries and also holidays - some players had booked to be away given that originally this had been a 'free' weekend for Harps. 

While Horgan will always be hoping to get something from every game, one suspects that there may be a calculated team selection against the Lilywhites. Harps’ next game, on Friday, is at home to Longford Town. As Horgan puts it: “We have a better chance of getting three points against Longford than we do against Dundalk.”

That is an understatement. Longford haven’t won since the opening day of the season! Horgan can be forgiven for having one eye on this game. Getting a point in Dundalk would be a massive bonus, but all the indications are that the Stephen Kenny managed juggernaut will rumble on tonight against Harps at Oriel Park.

Horgan revealed that he will be using the occasion to draft some of the under-19 side into his squad for the game. Throwing one or two of them on against Dundalk would certainly give them some great experience and also show the players the huge gulf that exists.

To say that the Dundalk trip is a damage limitation exercise is perhaps a tad unfair, but the reality is that Harps’ main focus this week is to get the three points in the Longford Town game.

Meanwhile, Dundalk manager Stephen Kenny has also called on the Dundalk public to get behind the team against Harps: “We do need that passionate home support right from the start every week. We know that they will be there for Cork City and Shamrock Rovers but we need it in particular at the games we are expected to win like against Finn Harps. You can be frustrated on those nights,” he said.

Kick-off at Oriel Park is 7.45 pm.