SSE Airtricity Premier Division: Longford Town v Finn Harps (tonight, 8pm)
THE fact that basement side Longford Town have won just once in 23 league outings this season suggests that visitors Finn Harps will be strongly fancied to bag all three points at Bishopsgate in this evening’s SSE Airtricity League Premier Division clash.
But Harps boss Ollie Horgan knows only too well that nothing can be taken for granted, and battling Longford certainly won’t make it easy.
In fact, the midlanders have held Harps to a draw in their two previous meetings this season.
And last week, Longford had the incredible misfortune to suffer a third defeat of the season against champions Shamrock Rovers due to an injury time goal.
The Town were on the brink of what would have been a tremendous draw at Tallaght Stadium, only for Rovers defender Liam Scales - who has been linked with a move to Celtic - to head home a last gasp winning goal in the fifth minute of injury time.
In May, Rory Gaffney got a 95th minute winner as Rovers beat Longford 1-0 at Bishopsgate while in April, Sean Gannon stole victory with a 93rd minute goal as Rovers won 2-1.
While Horgan notes “there are no easy games in this league” this is a crucial fixture for Harps who will be hoping to build on last week’s morale boosting 1-0 away win over Sligo.
Harps will be without Mark Coyle, who is suspended, but Shane McEleney is available again.
Dean Williams and Darragh Nugent, who are on loan to Longford from Shamrock Rovers, were not permitted to play against their parent club last week but both could start against Harps.
Horgan is taking the proverbial one game at a time approach. Victory for the Donegal side would push them 15 points clear of Longford who are surely doomed.
Longford's sole league victory came on the first day of the season - against Derry City - but in seven of their 14 defeats they have lost by a single goal.
There is little doubt that there will be twists and turns ahead in the scrap to avoid the relegation play-off spot and while in-form Waterford and Europe-focussed Dundalk are the two sides immediately above Harps, one suspects that Horgan may well feel that in the final reckoning, it could be a scrap between the Donegal outfit and Drogheda to see who finishes eighth and ninth.
Drogheda have won just once in eight games - against Harps - and have certainly hit a bumpty patch.
