League Preview: Finn Harps -v- Galway United

FINN HARPS           

Finn Harps welcome Galway United to Finn Park (kick-off 8pm) as they seek their first points of the season.

Ollie Horgan's side were unfortunate not to take something from their first away trip of the season to Bray Wanderers last week as a number of questionable refereeing decision saw them fall to a 5-3 defeat.

Bright spots on that occasion were the performances of Ciaran O'Connor, the on-loan Dundalk striker, and Caolan McAleer. O'Connor scored twice while McAleer was a constant threat on the wing.

“I felt in the first half there was very little in it bar two decisions that didn't go our way,” Horgan told Extratime.ie.

“We gave them a two-goal start, or maybe a helping hand from elsewhere gave them a two-goal start, but we got back in to it.

“I'm not going to go blaming decisions but you need everything to go your way decisions-wise, especially away from home.

“Galway are a proper side as well – I'm trying to think is there any side you would fancy your chances with? We've got 31 games to go and we'll see where it takes us.”

Horgan is sweating on the fitness of goalkeeper Ciaran Gallagher, who picked up a mild concussion in the lead-up to Bray's fourth goal, and Damien McNulty, who got a knock on his shoulder.

Keith Cowan is definitely out with a long-term knee injury, while striker Danny Morrissey is still touch-and-go after injuring his knee against former club Cork City on the opening night.

GALWAY UNITED

Galway United also come to Finn Park in search of their first points of the season, having fallen to a disappointing home defeat to Drogheda United on the opening day before losing 4-0 in Cork last week.

An early goal for Sean Maguire following a mistake from goalkeeper Ciaran Nugent set the tone for Cork's victory as the cup holders sauntered to a facile victory over Shane Keegan's side.

While the Tribesmen had an impressive pre-season, in which they won five from six, they've found competitive football a much tougher prospect and, with Shamrock Rovers visiting on Monday, Keegan will see this as a game Galway must get something from.

"It's been two games now in which we have done quite well in the first halves, but we haven't been as good in the second,” he told the club's website.

"I don't think that has anything to do with our fitness levels, it's our own approach and application that needs to improve and it needs to be delivered for 90 minutes.

"Finn Harps are very good, they might be sitting on zero points, but so are we, and we would like to think we're also a good side.

“I've seen their game against Bray [and] they were in it for long periods and caused Bray a lot of problems.

"They're more of a footballing side this year than they might've been considered to be in previous seasons. They've brought in some impressive players like Jonny Bonner and Ciaran O'Connor.

“They will be in a similar boat as ourselves, they'll be looking at things and saying we're not doing a huge amount wrong, we just need to do it for 90 minutes and tweak a few things.”

Referee: Paul Tuite.

MATCH STATS

Finn Harps and Galway United have met 68 times in total and this is the 32^nd meeting at Finn Park. Harps have won 21 of those games while Galway have won 27, with Harps winning 13 of the meetings in Ballybofey to Galway's 11.

The sides met three times in the Premier Division last season, with the teams separated by a single goal each time.

Galway won the first meeting at Eamonn Deacy Park 1-0 in April, while Harps did the same at Finn Park in July, before Galway edged out the final meeting 3-2 in the closing weeks of the season.

The teams also met in the second round of the EA Sports Cup in April, with Galway winning 4-2 on penalties after the game had ended scoreless at Deacy Park.

BETTING

Finn Harps 17/10; Draw 11/5; Galway United 13/8.

PREDICTION

Finn Harps 1 – 1 Galway United

Finn Harps

Injured: Keith Cowan (knee).

Doubtful: Ciaran Gallagher (concussion), Damien McNulty (shoulder), Danny Morrissey (knee).

Suspended: None.

Galway United

Injured: Paul Sinnott (ankle).

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None