Preview: Another Vital Clash For Kerry FC As They Face Finn Harps Away

Ivan Hurley previews tomorrow night’s game in Ballybofey as Kerry FC face Finn Harps…

It’s an 820km round journey to Donegal for the Kingdom this Friday night for a crucial tie against basement side Finn Harps, as the run-in to the season reaches 3 from home in Ballybofey on Friday night.

Kerry come into the game off the back of a super 1-0 win over Wexford FC on Friday night in Mounthawk Park.

Sean McGrath netted a fine strike midway through the second half to secure a valuable 3 points for Colin Healy’s side. Kerry moved into the playoff places for 24 hours, but with Longford’s Saturday night win over Cork City, Kerry dropped out of the playoff places by a single point.

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But there was still serious value in Kerry’s win over Wexford, moving five points clear of the men from the South East; a defeat would have seen Kerry fall behind Wexford by 1 and could be 4 points off the playoffs heading into this weekend.

With a trip to 5th-placed Cobh Ramblers in 8 days, there is no doubting a lot is riding on the long trip to Ballybofey tomorrow evening for Healy’s men.

With just 9 points on offer until the end of the season, every single point picked up between now and the end of the season will prove vital.

Kerry arrive in Ballybofey to a Finn Harps side who know they will finish bottom of the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division for 2026. But Finn Park has given Kerry very little joy over the years, securing just 3 points from 7 previous visits to Donegal (3 draws, 4 defeats).

Kerry will have to go one better than the past in Finn Park, but will have belief following recent first wins in the likes of Bishopsgate and the Carlisle Grounds in recent weeks; history books are being rewritten by the Kingdom this season.

Since Kerry’s defeat in Ballybofey in early May, Harps have lost all but 2 games over the last 5 months, with both wins coming against Wexford FC, at home in early July and away from home two weeks ago.

Kerry enjoyed a somewhat nervy 2-1 win over the Donegal outfit in July in Tralee, with Sean McGrath and Cian Bargary netting for the Kingdom on that occasion.

So it’s a real 6-pointer for Kerry on Friday night; a win will set things up for a bumper tie against Cobh Ramblers next week.

A defeat could leave the door open for the final 2 games of the season for others to take one of the 4 playoff places on offer.

It’s a season like no other, and for Kerry to still be in the race at this stage of the season is uncharted territory for the club, who are just in their 4th season in the League of Ireland.

It’s pretty much as you were for Colin Healy on the injury front ahead of tomorrow night’s trip to Ballybofey.

Daniel Okwute (Hamstring) is a doubt, while Cian Bargary has returned to training this week. Finn Barrett has resumed on-field training after a lengthy absence, while Ryan Kelliher remains sidelined with his ACL injury

Colin Healy said: “There will be twists and turns; there always are. For me, and I keep saying it, we focus on ourselves and on our game on Friday. It was a massive win over Wexford, but we know Finn Park is a really difficult place to go and win as well.”

“All our focus goes into this one, and that’s it. It’s a long journey, but we have professional players; they look after themselves during the week and prepare properly in training sessions. We will travel up; the players will eat right, and they’ll rest.”

“We will be ready for it; there will be no excuses from our side about the trip and all that. As staff, we prepare everything right off the pitch, so that when we are on the pitch we are ready to perform and get the 3 points.”

I’ve been around a long time, played up there and managed teams up in Ballybofey; I know it’s a difficult place to go. We will be ready with a game plan. I know they lost last week, but there really wasn’t much in it, so we are well aware of the difficult task ahead of us. But look, the players are looking forward to it, and they know the job they have to do to keep climbing the table.”