19.45 17 May 2016 -
Referee: Ray Matthews
League Preview: St Patrick's Athletic -v- Finn Harps
- Gareth O'Reilly
- Tue, May 17 2016
St Patrick’s Athletic take on Finn Harps on Tuesday evening in a game which has been pushed forward from July in order to free up any possible congestion that may take place for the Saints due to European commitments later on in the season.
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC
A Tuesday night fixture is not one that will likely appease to too many League of Ireland fans but the Saints have cut ticket prices for this one in an attempt to lure some bigger crowds to Richmond Park. Prices for this one are €10 for adults, €5 for students/OAPS and then under 12s are free.
Pats will be hoping they can build some consistency in the coming weeks as there 3-0 win away to Galway following by a 3-3 draw with Longford at home show that things have yet to fully catch fire for the Saints.
In team news for Liam Buckley’s underfire squad, he will be without the services of Conor O’Malley, Jack Bayly and Christy Fagan through injury while Ian Birmingham, David Cawley and Graham Kelly have all been listed as doubtful. Darren Dennehy is suspended for the Dublin outfit following his red card on Friday night.
FINN HARPS
Harps must make the long journey to Dublin on Tuesday night to take on sixth placed St Patrick’s Athletic. Just two places in the league table separate these two sides but a total of 7 points shows that the Premier Division table is already preparing to split into a top half race and a bottom half race.
Harps will be desperate to bounce back from a seven goal home thumping suffered at the hands of Dundalk this past Friday night and manager Ollie Horgan has admitted his side were found wanting during much of that embarrassing defeat.
“We were out of our depth on Friday night. It was always going to be difficult against Dundalk but it became more difficult when we conceded so early in the game.
“We needed to be at our best and Dundalk at their worst to make a game of it, if anything the opposite happened! We aren't in the same league as Dundalk and leagues apart when they play well.”
However, after such a heavy defeat Horgan is rather delighted about the late scheduling of this fixture, even if some of the club’s fans may not be.
“There is no let up in games, but that mightn't be a bad thing coming out of a heavy defeat to get started again,” said the charismatic Harps boss.
“The last heavy defeat we encountered before Friday was away to Pats two years ago in the Cup (Pat’s won 6-1 in the FAI Cup semi-final at Richmond Park) so we know what we are facing,
In terms of team news, Barry Molloy picked up a knock against the Lilywhites at the weekend and is therefore labelled as doubtful for this trip. Josh Mailey, Raymond Foy, Michael Rafter, Matthew Crossan and Gareth Harkin all remain sidelined through injury.
Referee: Ray Matthews
MATCH FACTS
Friday’s defeat to Dundalk for Harps was the first time that a team had put seven past them since 1989 when Derry did it in the League Cup. The last time it happened in the league was back in 1985 when Derry also did the damage.
St Patrick’s Athletic have won 20 of their 30 clashes with Finn Harps at Richmond Park.
Pats have scored 63 times against the Donegal side at Richmond Park while Harps have hit the net on 43 occasions at the Dublin 8 ground.
BETTING
St Patrick’s Athletic 2/5; Draw 10/3; Finn Harps 7/1.
PREDICTION
St Patrick’s Athletic 1 – 1 Finn Harps.
St Patrick’s Athletic
Injured: Conor O’Malley, Jack Bayly, Christy Fagan.
Doubtful: Ian Birmingham, David Cawley, Graham Kelly.
Suspended: Darren Dennehy
Finn Harps
Injured: Josh Mailey (groin), Raymond Foy (hamstring), Michael Rafter (ankle), Matthew Crossan (knee), Gareth Harkin (calf).
Doubtful: Barry Molloy.
Suspended: None.
About Gareth O'Reilly
Gareth is the Editor of Extratime.ie. Gareth began as a normal reporter covering games all over Dublin before being asked to help out with behind the scene activities and eventually moving into the role of …