League Preview: Finn Harps -v- Cork City

FINN HARPS

Finn Harps will look to pick up their first win of the season tonight when they welcome Cork City to Finn Park (kick-off 7.45pm).

Ollie Horgan’s side currently occupy ninth position in the table and win would see them leapfrog their opponents who they currently trail by two points.

Their two points on the board so far this season have come against Dundalk and St. Pats but their most recent game on Monday saw them defeated 3-0 away to Shamrock Rovers.

Ollie Horgan is urging the Harps fans to come out and support the team as they look to bounce back after two defeats in their last two fixtures.

“Look we’re a part-time Club and we’ll be up against it again Friday night against Cork,” said Horgan in the build up to the game.

“They were double champions two years ago. We need the supporters to come out in big numbers and back us with lots of positive encouragement. The players want the fans to stick with them and roar them on, which will hopefully give us that little bit of extra advantage at home.

“We have all moved on from the two defeats and have concentrated all our energies since Tuesday on being ready to give it our best shot tomorrow night. If we do that then we have chance but it will probably also take Cork to perform below par.”

CORK CITY

Cork City have had a stuttering start to the 2019 season and will be hoping to start climbing the table with three points as they travel to Donegal this evening.

John Caulfield’s side are languishing in eight place in the table with just four points from four league games and everyone around Turner’s Cross will be hoping the wins start to come sooner rather than later.

Their first and only win so far this season came on the road two weeks ago against Sligo Rovers at the Showgrounds and they now make the long journey to Donegal as they look to keep their away form on track.

“For the last few years, when we’ve gone up there, it was 1-0, we had penalties with Seani Maguire and Garry Buckley scoring late on.” spoke assistant manager John Cotter during the week.

 It’s always a tough place to go. Generally when we go up there, the weather seems to be poor. The pitch, at this stage of the season, will be heavy, and no doubt it’ll be a tight pitch. First and foremost, it’s going to be a battle, you’re guaranteed that. We’ll have to be ready for it.”

“When we go up there, we generally have a good crowd that make the journey. They’ll be great up there on Friday night, so we just have to give them something to cheer about.”

Referee: Damien McGraith

MATCH STATS

These sides sit in 8^th and 9^th position in the league table ahead of tonight’s fixture with Cork City two points ahead of Harps.

Finn Harps had a very good home record in the First Division last season winning nine of their fourteen league games at home.

Cork City won ten of their eighteen games on the road last season, losing five and sharing the spoils in three.

BETTING

Finn Harps 4/1; Draw 13/5; Cork City 8/13

PREDICTION

Finn Harps 0-2 Cork City

Finn Harps

Injured: Sam Todd, Gareth Harkin, Mark Timlin

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Cork City

Injured: Matthew Gillam, Alan Bennett

Doubtful: Karl Sheppard, Gearoid Morrissey, Sean McLoughlin

Suspended: None