The battle to avoid the automatic relegation spot will go down to the final day of the season, according to Finn Harps manager Ollie Horgan. Harps fell to their fourth defeat in a row on Friday night, after an eight minute spell in which Sligo Rover
The battle to avoid the automatic relegation spot will go down to the final day of the season, according to Finn Harps manager Ollie Horgan. Harps fell to their fourth defeat in a row on Friday night, after an eight minute spell in which Sligo Rovers netted three first half goals. Harry Ascroft did find an injury time consolation for the Ballybofey men in this north west derby, but it was too late for Harps. The result leaves the Donegal side seven points off safety and five ahead of basement side UCD with as many games left to play. Ever the optimist, Horgan remains confident that the Students will bridge that five point gap between now and the end of the season. “We’d love it!," he quips when asked whether is he resigned to that play-off spot. “I think this will go to the wire in regards to who gets it. We’d take second bottom with open arms. But we’re a long, long way from it at the moment. “I don’t think UCD have ever gone away. I think we need to kick ourselves in terms of getting a few points before we play them in October. They got a great point against Pat’s on Friday night and Sligo will have their hands full up there next week.” The Bit O’Red found the going relatively soft and were helped hugely by that three goal half-time lead. With this in mind, Horgan said he had no issues with the final result. “We weren’t good enough in the first half," he granted. “Sligo were fully deserving of their lead and showed a lot of quality in the first half. They’re short a few players, but they had Ronan Murray who was brilliant. “They’re on a high. They have a cup semi-final (ahead) and we’re the opposite. Confidence is low which you can see. “You could say the game was over at half-time. It would have been interesting to see if we’d scored early in the second half, what would have happened. But the better side won.”
