LOI Preview: Finn Harps and UCD looking to pick up points

It's another relatively quiet Friday evening in the SSE Airtricity League owing to the European exploits of Shamrock Rovers, Sligo Rovers and St Patrick's Athletic.

Dundalk start the day third in the table, nine points off the Hoops, with the same amount of games played and they will welcome Finn Harps to Oriel Park.

With 13 fixtures to fulfil this season, losing isn't an option for the Lilywhites if they want to take advantage of Stephen Bradley's charges potentially being distracted by their European run.

For Harps, the positivity from the fightback draw against Pat's last month might have completely dissipated on Sunday when they were pegged back by Derry. Having looked like they were going to secure a rare victory this season, they ended up being beaten 2-1 - the winner cruelly arriving deep into second-half stoppage time.

It was compounded by news from down the road at The Showgrounds, where UCD recorded just their second win of the season, beating Sligo Rovers 2-0.

The big question for Students' manager Andy Myler is whether his young guns can finally deliver at the Bowl, where they've drawn five and lost six of their matches so far this season.

Harps' better - or perhaps less worse - goal difference is what currently has them in the play-off place ahead of the university side and, as has been written before, the remaining two meetings between the clubs this season might well go on to define their respective campaigns.

Shelbourne will travel across the city having been given fair warning by that shock result for UCD against Sligo.

Damien Duff's charges make the short trip having finally won a game last time out. But that 3-1 victory over Harps was their first in five games. They've taken four points from their meetings