Galway United match preview v Finn Harps

Galway United welcome Finn Harps to Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday, May 19th. Kick-off: 7.45pm.

United come into Friday's league game on the back of a resolute performance against leaders Cork City at Eamonn Deacy Park last week.

Shane Keegan's side drew 1-1 with the Leesiders, maintaining a run of just one loss in the club's last 12 competitive games.

Conor McCormack's deflected strike gave Cork City the lead, but Stephen Folan grabbed a deserved leveller for the hosts just two minutes later.

Finn Harps meanwhile suffered a 3-0 defeat at home to Bray Wanderers in their last league outing. Gary McCabe, Ryan Brennan and Aaron Greene registered for the Wanderers at Finn Park.

Shane Keegan and Conor Winn have both urged the Tribesmen to build on recent results when Finn Harps visit Eamonn Deacy Park on Friday night.

"For different reasons, it's been a good two weeks for us.

"At the end of the day, we are sitting second bottom in the league table, that's the one bit we have to reflect on. There is no doubt that we have been playing very well of late, the lads know they've been doing well and that breeds confidence.

"We won against Dundalk and drew against Drogheda United, Derry City and Cork City in our last four league games. That's good going.

"The context of how that reflects on us is really going to be dependent on the next seven days. We've got three games in the next seven days, two of which are at home against teams around us in the table.

"We've been in a position where we've been underdogs in the last few games, now with us being at home against teams around us in the table, the emphasis will be on us to be the ones creating and dictating the tempo of the game.

"Ollie Horgan is a guy who absolutely demands hard work from his players and he always gets it, that's why Finn Harps are so hard to beat. What they probably have this year that they haven't had in previous years is players like Paddy McCourt and Jonny Bonner. They're two players with a fantastic passing range.

"Anybody that thinks poor Finn Harps, they're on a bad run, is buying into a completely wrong narrative, they're a good side and they're going to be as big a test for us as any of the games we've had recently."

"It's been disciplined displays from us in recent months more than anything. We've worked hard in training, I think it's showing now on match days. I don' think we're worried about any team in the league, I think we've shown that.

"We messed up after the Dundalk game, we absolutely wanted the three points in Drogheda and it was probably one of our worst performances of the season.

"It's the same again this week, we're thinking, what's the point of putting in such a good display against Cork City if we fail to perform against Finn Harps.

"The last time we played Finn Harps, we bashed them, I think we hit the crossbar three times, we were very unlucky not to win. On Friday night, hopefully we will more clinical in our finishing and be right defensively.

"Ollie Horgan has signed a lot of footballers this season, they're still one of the toughest teams to face in the league. If you're going up against Finn Harps, you know it's always going to be a good, physical game.

"Finn Harps are one of the hardest teams to break down. We know we're going into a battle. I think everyone is looking forward to it.

"It's a completely different type of game to Cork City last week, we knew we would have our backs up against the walls for some of the Cork City game, but hopefully we'll have more possession and more of an attacking threat against Finn Harps. We will have to work very hard again to get the three points."

David Cawley (ankle) and Vinny Faherty (foot) are returning to full fitness, both players will be assessed ahead of the Finn Harps game.

Ray Matthews

Ronan Murray - 5

Vinny Faherty - 3

Kevin Devaney - 2

David Cawley - 2

Padraic Cunningham - 1

Jesse Devers - 1

Gary Shanahan - 1

Gavan Holohan - 1

Stephen Folan - 1

Galway United 1-1 Cork City

Finn Harps 0-1 Sligo Rovers (EA SPORTS Cup)

Finn Harps 0-2 Drogheda United

Bohemians 2-0 Finn Harps

Cork City 5-0 Finn Harps

Finn Harps 0-3 Bray Wanderers

March 10th, 2017 | Finn Harps 1-1 Galway United

Finn Harps goalscorer: Sean Houston

Galway United goalscorer: Kevin Devaney