'One step forward and two back': Ollie Horgan reflects on UCD defeat

He’s been here before, but Ollie Horgan admits that it will take a ‘huge effort’ for Finn Harps to perform another version of The Great Escape.

Defeat at relegation rivals UCD on Friday night saw Harps slip to the bottom of the Premier Division.

This is Harps’ fourth consecutive season in the top flight, but they face a real battle to stay up. With ten games to go, they are locked in a tussle with UCD. At best, Harps will have to navigate a relegation-promotion play-off to stay up.

Friday’s 2-1 loss at The UCD Bowl saw UCD come from behind with Donal Higgins and Evan Caffrey scoring after Filip Mihaljević’s penalty had put Harps in front. Having beaten Drogheda United 3-0 a week earlier, the loss arrived like a jolt for Harps.

Ankle injury to keep Jack Keaney out for a month

The Donegal Town man was forced off after picking up the injury during UCD's 2-1 win over Finn Harps on Friday night

“We took a step forward last week, but we’ve taken two back and there is no point in pretending any different,” Horgan said. “We got ourselves into a great position, but we conceded too quickly.

“We’ve had a lot of blows over the years and it doesn’t get any easier. It hurts. There is no-one in there smiling or laughing.

“It’s not a great place to be. We’ve been here before and dug ourselves out, but it will take a huge effort to do the same again.”

UCD were reduced to ten men in the 52nd minute when Dara Keane was sent off, but Caffrey struck a magical winner soon after.

With a man extra, Harps couldn’t force their way back into the game.

“We didn’t manage the game,” Horgan, whose side host Sligo Rovers next Friday, said.

“The only consolation - and it’s not much consolation - was that it was a brilliant goal to win it. It wouldn’t have mattered if it were 12 against 11 with the way Evan Caffrey hit that. It was very, very disappointing to put ourselves in a very good position and not manage it.

“We threw the lead away and we’re looking up the table rather than down.

“We had enough experience to see out that game. While they defended very deep, their ‘keeper did very well, big Sam (Todd) and Michael Gallagher defended crosses very well and defended our set pieces very well. They were a threat themselves

“We had to go long. They defended very well. Thomas Lonergan and Dylan Duffy probably had the better chances on the counter-attack, which suited them. We stuck at it and big Rob (Jones) had a chance to level it in the last seconds of injury time, but it wasn’t good enough. There is no hiding place for me or for them. Just very disappointed after last week.”