Longford Town face Finn Harps in bid for another win at Bishopsgate

Bishopsgate could house the biggest gate of the season so far for the visit of Finn Harps on Saturday night, kick-off 7.30pm.
Over the years the visit of Finn Harps to the Strokestown Road always brought excitement and large crowds.
Harps have been a household name for many years and one has to compliment the Donegal supporters who have stuck with the club during the bad days as well as the good ones.
With six games played in this year’s First Division it’s amazing that from 5th to 9th in the table we have 5 teams on 6 points and the bottom team Treaty United are a point behind on 5 points.
After Friday night’s games, Longford Town were bottom of the table on 3 points but the very impressive win over Wexford FC moved us up five places and into the top half of the table at the moment.
Cork City are everybody’s favourites to go straight back up and they really are dead certs especially when they have practically the same squad as that which played in the Premier Division last year.
We have to concentrate on next Saturday’s game at home to Harps and hopefully we will pick up three points on Saturday night.
Looking back on last Saturday’s game against a strong Wexford side, the Town once again were minus four players who would be in the starting eleven if fully fit. Midfielder Aaron Doran, who came on in the game against Cork City when he replaced Sean Moore after 75 mins, missed the Wexford game but hopefully he will be fit for next Saturday’s clash.
Dean George has missed a few games also hopefully will be back in contention for at least a place on the bench on Saturday.
Club captain Jamie Egan and Aaron Walsh are still out and to be short such experience is hard to say the least but Taylor McCarthy and Conor Errity, who are only out of youth football, are doing well in defence despite their youth. Both players have grown in confidence since the beginning of the season.
One would have to say that all the 15 players used against Wexford worked so hard.
Another new signing Cole Omorehiomwan had a superb game on Saturday last against a very difficult opponent in big Jake Doyle who really put himself about.
Of the Town team that started on Saturday last five players were recent signings and it looks as if they have settled in well.
Dean Williams, who joined the club from Athlone, showed touches of a man that has Premier Division experience and he will be a great foil up front for Daragh Murtagh who is improving with experience.
Alex O’Brien, who captained the team on Saturday last, has made his mark in the new look midfield and there is no doubt that he is a player for the future.
There is no doubt that manager Wayne Groves has assembled a very useful young team who will improve with experience and keeping a clean sheet against Wexford was a big boost.
Longford keeper Kian Moore, who joined the club last season, and his performances meant that Harry Halwax had to sit on the bench for the final games of the season.
After six games the Town have conceded six goals and have kept two clean sheets which is very encouraging with a very youthful team.
Finn Harps have scored seven goals and conceded eight to date and they will be a tough team to beat.
Last season it was honours even between the two clubs in the four league meetings. All four games played ended in draws and one expects that this year’s encounter will be no different.
The first meeting between the clubs was in early April and that game ended 1-1. Aaron Doran opened the scoring for the Town in the 25th minute and Harps equalised in the 96th minute with a goal from Joel Bradley Walsh.
The next two meetings between the clubs in mid May and first week in July ended scoreless.
The final game of last season in early September in Longford ended 1-1 with local hero Emmanuel James scoring the equaliser for the Town in the 87th minute.
The first thing you think about when you mention Finn Harps is Ollie Horgan who was a great manager and a very special man who did Trojan work for his club over the years.
Ollie was like a season ticket holder at Bishopsgate over the seasons when he managed Harps as he usually had Saturday night off and he came down here to check out the opposition for forthcoming games.
Ollie was a great football man, a true gentleman and a great friend RIP.
Former player Kevin McHugh is the Harps manager now after he replaced Darren Murphy who has gone to the Northern League.
McHugh was a footballing icon in Donegal on the pitch and he was involved in the academy end of the club and then moved into the top job when Murphy left the club. Senior football is very strong in Donegal and there are lots of good young players in the Ulster Senior League which is a big help to Harps.
One player who has given lots of service to Harps is midfielder Tony McNamee who is a top class player.
Conor Tourish is another very experienced player who is one of the top defenders around. A very special talent is midfielder Gavin McAteer who is only 17 years old and he needs to be closely watched. Joel Bradley Walsh is another very good young player.
There is no doubt that next Saturday night’s game will be very competitive with a close encounter in prospect. Kerry and Athlone beat Harps to date. They drew with Treaty, Wexford and Cobh and they beat UCD at Finn Park.
After Saturday’s game the Town have two away games on Friday 3rd April against Treaty United and on Monday 6th April in Athlone that ends the first round of fixtures

SSE Airtricity League First Division
Longford Town v Finn Harps
Saturday March 28
At Bishopsgate
Kick-off 7.30pm