League Preview: Finn Harps -v- Bohemians

FINN HARPS

Finn Harps will look to extend their winning run to three games when they welcome Bohemians to Ballybofey on Friday night (kick-off 8pm).

Harps have lost each of their three games with the Gypsies this season but they’ve found a vein of form in the last two weeks with successive wins over Waterford and Derry City.

Harry Ascroft’s second-half header saw Ollie Horgan’s grab a vital three points, not to mention Ulster bragging rights, with a 1-0 win over Derry City last week.

The television cameras seem to bring out the best in the Donegal side as both of those wins came in live broadcast games on Eir Sport.

Whether they will rue the absence of the cameras tonight remains to be seen, but Horgan is under no illusions about the scale of his side’s task.

“Bohs have got the better of us three times this season,” he told the club’s official website.

“Two of the games were 1-0 in their favour. Up at Dalymount in the last game it was 5-3 to them.

“They are 16 points ahead of us in the table so it’ll be some result if we get even a point against them on Friday night.

“Bohs will be favourites to win but that is the challenge our lads must face up to tomorrow night.

“It’s like every other game. We always go to get a positive result and provided everyone works hard then we will have a decent cut at that.”

Nathan Boyle, Mark Coyle, Ciaran Gallagher and Michael Gallagher are all injured while Raff Cretaro and Caolan McAleer miss out with suspension.

BOHEMIANS

Bohemians saw the gap between themselves and fourth-placed Derry City reduced to three on Monday as the Candystripes saw off Waterford in their game in hand.

Two days earlier, Keith Long’s side had been held to a 1-1 draw away to Sligo Rovers as they failed to fully capitalise on Derry’s earlier defeat to Finn Harps.

Danny Mandroiu had put the Gypsies in front from the penalty spot but David Cawley struck an equaliser just before the break as the sides shared the spoils.

"Harps are a well organised and honest bunch of players who are fighting for everything at the moment," Long told the club's media team.

"They work extremely hard for one another but we have our own ambitions so our own performance level has got to be right

"We have to look after our own results first. We've got ourselves into a good position and we want to stay there.

"We've nine games left, there will be plenty of ups and downs between now and the end of the season but we need to win games to stay where we are."

Dinny Corcoran (ankle) and Cristian Magerusan (cruciate) remain out, while Derek Pender has picked up a further three-game ban and Paddy Kirk one game.

Rob Cornwall, Keith Buckley and Ryan Swan are all doubts.

Referee: Damien McGraith.

MATCH STATS

Bohemians have taken a perfect nine points from nine this season against Harps, including a dramatic 5-3 win at Dalymount Park last time out.

The first two meetings between the sides saw Dinny Corcoran and Danny Grant seal 1-0 wins at Dalymount and Finn Park respectively.

Following two close games, all logic went out the window at Dalymount in May when a Ryan Swan double helped the Gypsies to a 5-3 win in which McAleer saw red.

BETTING

Finn Harps 16/5; Draw 11/5; Bohemians 5/6.

PREDICTION

Finn Harps 1 – 0 Bohemians

Finn Harps

Injured: Nathan Boyle, Mark Coyle, Ciaran Gallagher, Michael Gallagher.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: Raff Cretaro, Caolan McAleer.

Bohemians

Injured: Dinny Corcoran (ankle), Cristian Magerusan (cruciate).

Doubtful: Rob Cornwall, Keith Buckley, Ryan Swan.

Suspended: Derek Pender, Paddy Kirk.