FINN HARPS v BOHEMIANS
Friday October 28, Finn Park, 7.45pm
Keith Long has told Bohemians to go out and end the season on a high note.
The surprise package last year that finished fifth, the Gypsies have struggled to find the consistency required to hit the same heights in 2016.
They currently lie in eighth position and the best they can hope for on the final day of the season is to finish seventh.
Long said: “It would have been nice to have been going into the last game with something to play for.
“This time last year we had an outside chance of qualifying for Europe, so it is disappointing.
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“It’s been a bit of a bumpy roller-coaster of a season. But it’s not just pride left to play for.
“We still have a chance of moving up a place in the table so we want to go out and win the game.”
A 2-1 defeat away to Dundalk last Sunday saw Stephen Kenny’s men clinch their third league title on the trot.
But there were plenty of positives to take out of the game and Long said: “I was pleased with the performance but not the result.
“We played well albeit without creating a lot. Our ball retention was good against a side that put you under extreme pressure.
“It was a bad time to play Dundalk too – they were really desperate to get over the line so they could rest players with the big games they have coming up.”
Observers felt Bohs were fortunate to have been awarded a first-half penalty, which was converted by Mark Quigley, that saw them get back into the game.
But Long said: “Keith Buckley was adamant at half-time that he was caught. He was right to go down.
“There have been times this season when we haven’t gone down – or shouted enough – when fouled. We aren’t always as streetwise as we should be in those situations.
“And people might argue it was fortuitous but we had a definite penalty not given in the second half – Derek Pender was creamed out of it!”
But as well as the positives, there were some negatives too as Bohs were once again undone by Dundalk set-pieces.
Long added: “We were disappointed to concede from set-pieces against them again.
“For all of the deserved praise Dundalk get here and further afield for their style of play, they score a considerable amount of goals from set-plays.
“That was something we were aware of but we still came unstuck.
“It’s an area of our own game that we haven’t done as well with this season compared to last and that’s something we will look to improve on next year.”
TEAM NEWS
Bohs are once again set to be without Izzy Akinade (illness), Dylan Hayes (hip) and Jake Kelly (ankle).
