BOHEMIANS v FINN HARPS
SSE Airtricity League
Friday September 24 2021
Dalymount Park, 7.45pm
Exclusively live on LOITV
It is just 11 days since Bohemians beat tonight’s opposition but manager Keith Long will know his side will have to give everything to match that result.
Goals from Promise Omochere and Georgie Kelly were enough to give the Gypsies a 2-1 win on that occasion but Bohs teams have come unstuck against Ollie Horgan’s side on enough occasions to know what they are capable of.
While Bohs also beat Harps 4-0 in Dalymount earlier this season, they lost their previous two games on their final home game of 2020 and first away game of 2021.
Long said: “It is a short turnaround since our last meeting and we know how hard we will have to work and we know the performance required in order to achieve the desired outcome.
“This Finn harps team has quality throughout their ranks and strength in depth across the squad.”
Long’s side come into tonight’s game on the back of a rollercoaster 3-3 draw against Derry City on Monday.
While it took a 95th minute equalising goal from that man Georgie Kelly to claim a point having fallen behind three minutes previously, Bohs will still feel they left points behind them.
Having created many chances themselves, they left themselves far too exposed at times and were punished by a ruthless Candystripes attack line.
Long said: “It was an entertaining and high-scoring game but when I say entertaining, I mean for the neutral, as the game was very open and the goals we conceded were very much preventable.
“Offensively, we were very good and created many chances in the game with nine shots on target but the flipside of that is that Derry also created chances, and that is something that we will be keen to address.
“As disappointed as we were with some of our defending, the players stuck at it and never gave up – twice coming from behind and we salvaged a point at the death with a wonderfully taken goal by Georgie.”
Long is full of praise for the 24-year-old, who has really found his groove at Dalymount Park following his arrival from Dundalk at the start of the season after a mixed season on loan at St Patrick’s Athletic last year.
The man from Inishowen, who faces his home county team this evening, has helped himself to 16 league goals this term, the best return of any Bohs player since Jason Byrne’s haul of 22 in 2009.
Long said: “Georgie has been exceptional for us this season.
“He is a touch of class around the place and his gentle manner and nature is infectious.
“He is loved by us all here and we are delighted to see him play with such confidence, belief and quality.”
With games coming thick and fast, Long has urged the renewed vocal support behind the team to once again help them get results over the line.
He added: “As we enter the final straight, there will be many twists and turns. The support has been immense and we are so grateful for that.
“We will need that support and the Dalymount roar against Finn Harps and for the rest of our campaign.
“We want to represent our supporters as best we can on the pitch and we will be doing everything in our control to finish the season strongly.”
TEAM NEWS
Ali Coote (hamstring), Promise Omochere (hamstring) and Stephen Mallon (hip) are set to sit this one out.
