Ollie Horgan says Finn Harps players need to 'grab it by the scruff of the neck'

Ollie Horgan says his Finn Harps squad have to grab the remaining six games ‘by the scruff of the neck’ as their bid to avoid relegation enters the home stretch.

With six games to play, Harps are bottom of the table, behind UCD by a point.

A 2-0 home defeat by Bohemians on Saturday keeps Harps at the foot of the standings and it was an evening of immense frustration for Horgan and Harps.

After a series of squandered chances, Harps saw Declan McDaid and Jordan Doherty score the second-half goals that plunged Finn Park into despair.

“We know why we didn’t take something from it,” Horgan said.

“You’ve got to take your chance. Goals change games and when Bohs scored you could see them growing in confidence.

Finn Harps spurn their chances and stay bottom after Bohemians defeat

Declan McDaid and Jordan Doherty struck second-half goals as Finn Harps fell to a disappointing home defeat against Bohemians

“We went the opposite way, although we did create a couple of chances. The second goal put it to bed. You need to take your chances when you’re on top.

“We lost the game because we didn’t take our chances.”

McDaid opened the scoring nine minutes into the second half when McDaid headed home from a Kris Twardek cross.

It might have come against the run of play, but it was a goal that turned the day in Bohs’ favour.

Horgan said: “It’s ourselves that we need to look at. We should have seen it out for something.

“We should have defended better. We didn’t track Declan McDaid and he headed it across and into the net.”

In between the goals - the second of which saw Doherty beat James McKeown with a 25-yard cracker - Ryan Rainey was sent off for a second bookable offence. Harps also saw assistant manager Gavin Dykes red carded following a verbal spat with the opposition dugout.

Horgan said: “At times we are an easy target. Even that little bit at the end, off the pitch. By a mile that’s an easy target. Two people were at it from each bench. One gets a yellow and the other gets a red.”

Harps welcome FAI Cup semi-finalists Shelbourne to Finn Park on Friday night with points at a premium at time fast running out.

Horgan said: “The players need to find it from somewhere to grab it by the scruff of the neck and drag us out of the predicament that we’re in. We certainly are in a predicament.

“We are down a few bodies and we are playing a side who are in the form of the season. Shels are in brilliant knick. Sometimes these lads can find it against the most difficult opposition.”