Having picked up nine points from their last four games, it is a confident Finn Harps who will line-up against Cork City at Finn Park this evening. Kick-off is at the earlier than normal time of 6.00pm.
Harps will face a City side who will be looking to bounce back from their first defeat of the season in the Munster derby against Waterford United last weekend. However, Harps Manager Peter Hutton said that his side will be focused on themselves and not their southern visitors.
“They’ll be looking for a response after suffering defeat last weekend in a big Munster derby and hoping to bounce back from losing their unbeaten record,” said Hutton.
“So, we’ll be expecting something of a backlash, but our boys won’t exactly roll over after the result from earlier in the season. They want to right the wrongs from that game.”
That earlier season game that Hutton refers to seen Cork dish out a 5-0 hammering to Harps at Turners Cross. It was the only time this season that any Harps defeat was by more than a one goal margin.
“We can only control ourselves and that’s all we’ll be worried about,” commented Hutton. “They, like us, like to get the ball down and play football, so it should be a really good game because the pitch is in really great nick these days.”
Harps had their biggest victory of the season last week, defeating Salthill Devon 4-0 in Drom with Blain Curtis grabbing his first goal for the club and Kevin McHugh helping himself to his 8th career hat-trick in blub. It was also the first time this season that Harps have recorded back-to-back victories.
“We knew it was a potential banana skin for us, playing a team who are in a similar position to ourselves,” said Hutton as he reflected back on a job well done in Galway.
“But, we acquitted ourselves very well, it was a very professional performance on a night where the conditions were very poor.
“We got ahead with the early goal and once we got the second it sort of deflated them a bit. It was great for Kevin, obviously with his hat-trick, but for Blain too. It’s always good for a strikers confidence when both of them get on the score-sheet.”
Harps welcome back Aaron McElwee and Paddy McLaughlin, who both missed last week’s trip to Salthill though suspension. However, Packie Mailey will miss out again through injury, and will be joined on the sideslines by James Doherty.
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Suspended: None.
Doubtful: None.
Injured: Packie Mailey (fractured toe), James Doherty (medial ligament).
Form Guide (last six league games)
Finn Harps: L-L-W-L-W-W (9 pts)
Cork City: W-W-D-W-D-L (11 pts)
Recent games at home to Cork City
19-Mar-05 Finn Harps 0-2 Cork City (Premier Division)
03-Sep-05 Finn Harps 2-3 Cork City (FAI Cup)
18-Oct-05 Finn Harps 1-2 Cork City (Premier Division)
11-Jul-08 Finn Harps 0-1 Cork City (Premier Division)
30-Apr-10 Finn Harps 0-0 Cork City (First Division)
15-Oct-10 Finn Harps 1-0 Cork City (First Division)
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Finn Harps Goalscorers 2011
Kevin McHugh – 8
Marc Brolly – 2
Blain Curtis – 1
Gareth Harkin – 1
Finn Harps Results 2011 (Harps goalscorers in brackets)
25th June 2011 – FD – Salthill Devon 0-4 Finn Harps (McHugh 3, Curtis)
11th June 2011 – FD – Finn Harps 1-0 Waterford United (McHugh)
6th June 2011 – FAI – Finn Harps 0-1 Longford Town
3rd June 2011 – FAI – Longford Town 0-0 Finn Harps
30th May 2011 – FD – Monaghan United 1-0 Finn Harps
26th May 2011 – FD – Finn Harps 1-0 Athlone Town (McHugh)
20th May 2011 – FD – Limerick 1-0 Finn Harps
13th May 2011 – FD – Mervue United 2-1 Finn Harps (Brolly)
5th May 2011 – FD – Finn Harps 0-1 Wexford Youths
29th April 2011 – FD – Shelbourne 1-0 Finn Harps
22nd April 2011 – FD – Finn Harps 1-2 Longford Town (Brolly)
19th April 2011 – FD – Athlone Town 1-0 Finn Harps
15th April 2011 – FD – Cork City 5-0 Finn Harps
8th April 2011 – FD – Finn Harps 0-0 Salthill Devon
28th March 2011 – EA – Mervue United 1-0 Finn Harps
25th March 2011 – FD – Waterford United 1-0 Finn Harps
18th March 2011 – FD – Finn Harps 2-2 Monaghan United (McHugh 2)
4th March 2011 – FD – Finn Harps 2-2 Limerick (McHugh, Harkin)
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