Posted online: Mar 18th, 2010

Finn Harps will be hoping to make it two wins on the trot when they travel to Century Homes Park to face Monaghan this Friday evening (kick-off 8.00 pm).
But manager James Gallagher knows that it will be a tough test against a Monaghan outfit who showed their credentials by drawing away to Shelbourne in their first match.
“Last year we had a disappointing record against Monaghan and some of the players returning to the club were surprised that we had lost all three games against them – something that had been unheard of in previous years,” he said.
And he added: We have spoken about that this week and I’ve told the players that last year wasn’t acceptable. Monaghan are very similar in terms of personnel to last year and in Philly Hughes they have a quality player who will be their main threat. Mick Cooke will have them well organised and they have a squad of decent, steady players who don’t have any real weak links in their team. We’ll have a good go at them and it is important that we start well and not let them control the game from the off.”
Tommy Bonner (shin), Chris McBride (thigh strain) and Aaron O’Hagan (knee) are all back in training again, although this week’s game may come too early for them.
Kevin McHugh and Oisin McMenamin (both knee) are slight doubts ahead of the trip to Monaghan tomorrow (Friday).
Gallagher was not expected to finalise his team selection until after Thursday evening’s training session.
Reflecting on the 2-0 victory over Salthill Devon last Friday, he said: “I wasn’t pleased with the first half and I let them know that at half-time, but they weren’t pleased themselves. As a player you don’t need someone to tell you that, but that’s my job. It was disappointing because you want them to do well, especially in their first home game and in front of a decent crowd.
“In a certain way, maybe that had a wee effect and they might’ve been caught in the lights. But we settled in the second half and all that I was really looking for was just to be a wee bit braver. I mean brave in possession. I thought in the first half that there were too many flick-ons and nobody was taking responsibility. So, credit to them, in the second half they did that. When you don’t look like giving anything away at the back and have the likes of Kevin McHugh and Davitt Walsh then you have a chance.”