Airticity League Premier Division: UCD v Finn Harps (tonight, 7.45pm)
Finn Harps belatedly kick-off their SSE Airtricity League Premier Division campaign away to newly-promoted UCD this evening in Dublin, and what spin is attached to the outcome if one team is victorious is debatable.
Given that the Students are widely tipped to struggle, a win for the Donegal side would not be unexpected. If UCD collect the maximum points, there will be those who say that it is against the likes of Harps that they must win if they are to avoid relegation. The truth, and result, could be in between.
Having had last week’s scheduled opening game against Drogheda postponed due to snow in Ballybofey, Harps boss Ollie Horgan is anxious to get things going.
And they now have two games in quick succession as after UCD, there is a trip to Oriel Park on Monday to take on Dundalk.
But whether Harps spring from the traps like a fired up greyhound is anyone’s guess.
With up to half a dozen players expected to make their debut in the new-look team, Horgan’s big concern is just how they fit in and adapt.
“It’s not ideal,” Horgan said. “We now start the season with two away games and then are at home to Bohemians.”
UCD were beaten 3-0 by champions Shamrock Rovers in their first game, but Horgan felt the outcome could have been different.
“UCD are a very good footballing side and should really have got the opening goal in Tallaght last Friday,” he said.
“We’ve never had it easy in my time down there and won only once to the best of my recollections,” he added. That was in a play-off in 2015. Harps have lost three and drawn one in their last four visits.
With a sprinkling of foreign players - there are nine nationalities in the Harps squad - it will certainly be interesting to see how Harps fare.
And while Horgan rarely gives much away in terms of team news, the suspicion is that some of the more robust personnel may be reserved for the Dundalk clash.
UCD manager Andy Myler says they will be “positive in all the games that they play” and “that this season in the Premier Division will really bring on the group of players”.
He knows that his young, relatively inexperienced team will find it demanding but insists that “the aim is to be in the Premier Division again next year”.
Two key players for UCD are Republic of Ireland underage internationals Colm Whelan and Liam Kerrigan for 2022, both of whom played a big role in getting promotion.
Myler has brought in Alex Dunne and Dylan Duffy from Shamrock Rovers, Thomas Lonergan from Shelbourne, and Kian Moore from Bohemians. Their only departure was Paul Doyle to Dundalk.
Horgan still has to serve a one-game suspension which has carried over from last season and ultimately he may be the happier of the two managers if it ends all square.
