Their opponents tomorrow, Galway United, are now under the management of former Republic of Ireland defender Jeff Kenna and are on somewhat of a mini-run. Last weekend, they kept their first clean sheet of the season against Derry City at the Brandywell where they picked up a much needed point. And then on Tuesday night last, after another scoreless draw, they defeated Sligo Rovers on penalties in the second round of the eircom League of Ireland Cup.
While Galway were progressing to the quarter-finals of the League Cup, Harps went down 3-0 to Derry City at the Brandywell. Hegarty was far from pleased with what he watched: "After playing reasonably well away to Drogheda United last Friday, the game in Derry saw a very poor performance from us. We did fine to begin with, but once they scored the first goal, the game changed. Their second goal killed us and in all honesty it could have been five or six by the end."
Harps will still be without the injured duo of Gary Beckett and Jonathan Minnock. Stephen Parkhouse is back in training and could be included in the squad. Tony Shields played a role in each of the last two games and looks set to start in the central midfield in Galway.
Hegarty watched the tribesmen in Sligo on Tuesday night and was impressed by Jeff Kenna's side. "They showed great heart and after a 0-0 draw in Derry last week, they are improving. I saw them three weeks ago, also in Sligo, and they done well that night to begin with. A bit like ourselves though, their heads went down when they lost the first goal and they were beaten 3-0."
Hegarty will serve the last of his four game touchline ban in this game.
In the last fourteen games between Harps and Galway, Harps have lost only once. The last meetings between the sides was in last season's FAI Cup. Having trailed 2-0 in Terryland Park, Harps struck twice in the last quarter of the game to take the tie to a replay. After a scoreless draw in Ballybofey, Harps progressed to the last sixteen on penalties. Ironically, that scoreless draw at Finn Park was the first ever scoreless game between the two sides in the forty-two meetings between the clubs.
Previous Meetings:
03-Apr-06 (League Cup) Finn Harps 1 Galway United 1 (aet. Harps won on pens.)
24-Jun-06 (First Division) Finn Harps 2 Galway United 2
11-Aug-06 (First Division) Galway United 1 Finn Harps 1
14-Oct-06 (First Division) Finn Harps 0 Galway United 1
15-Jun-07 (FAI Cup) Galway United 2 Finn Harps 2
18-Jun-07 (FAI Cup) Finn Harps 0 Galway United 0 (aet. Harps won on pens.)
Form guide (last six league games):
Finn Harps: L-L-L-L-L-L (0pts)
Galway United: L-L-L-L-L-D (1pts)
Friday's game at Terryland Park kicks-off at 7.45pm.