Soccer

Finn Harps aiming to end losing streak with win over Sligo

Finn Harps manager Ollie Horgan (left) watches his side against Derry City at the Brandywell. Picture Margaret McLaughlin.
Finn Harps manager Ollie Horgan (left) watches his side against Derry City at the Brandywell. Picture Margaret McLaughlin. Finn Harps manager Ollie Horgan (left) watches his side against Derry City at the Brandywell. Picture Margaret McLaughlin.

Finn Harps will be hoping to end their run of five straight defeats this Friday when they take on north-west rivals Sligo Rovers at Finn Park, in Ballybofey. (kick-off 8pm).

The Donegal club remains bottom of the Airtricity Premier League table, below UCD on goal difference but having played three games more.

So every point that they can garner will be absolutely vital as they bid to finish second bottom which would earn them a relegation play-off spot rather than being automatically relegated for finishing on the lowest rung of the 10-team Premier Division ladder.

Sligo are one of the form teams at present and are climbing up the table.

When the sides last met, at the Showgrounds, it finished 1-1.

Harps desperately need to get something from this derby clash, but boss Ollie Horgan knows it will be tough.

“Sligo have lost one game in 10, against Dundalk,” he noted.

And he added: “I think they are a better side now that when we played them last, but we need to pick up points as we are running out of games. We need to be at the best of our ability against Sligo.”

Harps lost 1-0 to St Patrick’s Athletic in their last outing before the short summer break.

Commented Horgan: “The lads had a week off and probably needed it physically and mentally after the St. Pat’s game. We were very disappointed not to have got anything out of it.”

Players resumed training on Monday night and he said that they had come back “in a very positive mood.”

Interestingly, last year, Harps returned from the summer break and eked out a 1-0 win away to Cabinteely. Subsequently, and boosted by some new arrivals during the transfer window, they embarked on an incredible run which saw them lose just once in 16 games - and that was in the FAI cup against double-winners Dundalk - and ultimately they were promoted.

Of course, it’s a completely different kettle of fish this time around at the higher level, but they will certainly give it a rattle.

Horgan and assistant manager Paul Hegarty are still hopeful that they will be able to bring in some new players during the transfer window which opens next week.

But it is not yet clear whether they will retain the services of on-loan players John Kavanagh (Cork City) and Sean Boyd (Shamrock Rovers).

Harps’ first competitive win of the current season was in the EA Sports League Cup at home to Sligo. Another win would certainly be a big boost in a busy spell which see them host Cork on Monday and then travel to Dublin to face UCD next Friday.

Meanwhile, Sligo Rovers hope to have defender Dante Leverock back from CONCACAF Gold Cup duties.

On Monday, he captained Bermuda as they had their first ever win in the competition, against Nicaragua.

Leverock scored Bermuda’s first ever Gold Cup goal in their opening game defeat to Haiti.

They also lost to hosts Costa Rica and finished third in their group.