With an Achilles injury set to keep Gareth Harkin side-lined for a lengthy spell, Finn Harps are already beginning to feel the force of a relentless start to the season.
Harps host Cork City at Finn Park this evening (kick-off 8pm) with manager Ollie Horgan down several bodies.
The game against the Rebels will be Harps’ fifth in the last fortnight.
Harkin, stretchered off on Monday night as Harps fell to a 3-0 defeat to Shamrock Rovers in Tallaght, had an MRI scan on Tuesday. While the results have not yet been divulged, it is believed that Harkin could face a couple of months, at least, out of action.
Sam Todd and Mark Timlin are also on the injured list, while John Kavanagh – who is on loan from Cork – is unable to play against his parent club this evening.
Harps, though, are expected to welcome Mark Coyle and Sean Boyd back into the fold.
“Look we’re a part-time club and we’ll be up against it again against Cork who were double champions two years ago,” Horgan said.
“John Caufield guided Cork to a win in Sligo a couple of weeks ago. Sligo deservedly got the better of us last Friday in Ballybofey so it’s going to take some performance from our lads to get anything from the game.
“We have all moved on from the two defeats and have concentrated all our energies since Tuesday on being ready to give it our best shot tomorrow.
“If we do that then we have chance but it will probably also take Cork to perform below par.”
Harps had over 2,000 in attendance last Friday for a north-west derby loss to Sligo and Horgan has appealed for another big crowd in Ballybofey.
He said: “We need the supporters to come out in big numbers and back us with lots of positive encouragement.
“The players want the fans to stick with them and roar them on, which will hopefully give us that little bit of extra advantage at home.”
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