The game kicks off in Finn Park at 8 pm. Away tickets are available online. The game will be streamed live on LOITV (€7)

It was a rollercoaster of a game with Sligo a couple of weeks ago. Despite being two down at half time, did you feel it was a really good performance on the night?

“It was a strange game because we were 2-0 down at half-time despite playing really well and having a number of opportunities to score. Then at half-time we just had a chat and we felt we were playing well and controlling the game. We said “more of the same” second half and the players got their rewards with the draw, but we were probably unlucky not to win it in the end.”

Sligo’s first goal was a superb header but were both of their goals mainly down to our own mistakes defensively?

“The header is from all of 20 yards out. If you look at it just before, it comes from a throw-in. We’re sloppy from that but it’s a great header. The second one is an obvious mistake and we find ourselves 2-0 down in a game that we should have been a couple of goals ahead, at that point.”

You brought on Jack Byrne and Neil Farrugia at the break and they made a difference. Eventually we got the penalty and it was game on…

“We didn’t want to involve Jack because he’d been sick; even leading up to the Bohs and Dundalk games he was struggling for those as well. But he came on, he was very good and so was Neil. Both had a real positive impact on the game.”

Were you pleased with the second half display the way Sligo were pinned back in their own half and we kept winning the ball back straight away in search of an equaliser and winner?

“I was pleased with the majority of the game and the performance. I thought it was very good. We were 2-0 down and it was a strange feeling because we were playing really well in most aspects of the game. In the second half, I felt that our tempo did go up a little bit, but it was just carrying on from the first half.”

Pico Lopes and Andy Lyons have come back from international duty. Andy had played so well in the Sligo game in Tallaght. How are they?

“Pico actually came back early after his first game with Cape Verde because he’d broken a bone in his hand. So he came back to get that looked at. Thankfully, it’s not too bad and he’ll be able to play.”

The squad had a few cases of sickness so did the break come at a good time in that sense?

“Yes, in one sense it allowed that sort of sickness to pass. It wasn’t Covid but it allowed it to pass and thankfully we have everyone training and everyone is OK now.”

And how did everyone enjoy the week off?

“We tried to get a game played and we couldn’t get one in the end but we trained hard. Then the players had a couple of days off as well, which was good to refresh.”

What do you make of Finn Harps this season?

“It’s strange when you look at their games because they were well beaten in Dundalk in the end but they should have been two or three up at half-time. Against Sligo, they were in the game as well and last week at Shelbourne they had a really good win, and deservedly so. In all of their games they’ve been good and created a lot of chances and obviously against Shels they took them and won the game with three goals. It’s mixed fortunes in terms of results but their performances have been good.”

This group had a great record at Ballybofey until the defeat last season, when we were a bit understrength because of injuries. So with everyone available this time around the team will be confident of a result up there?

“We know we’ll have to go up there and work extremely hard. That’s what the game demands. We’ll respect everything they’re going to bring to the game and then impose ourselves on the game as soon as we can. The aim is to go there and win three points.”