Long looks to steady the ship as Devon make long trek to Ballybofey

STEPHEN GLENNON

Salthill Devon’s first team coach, Emlyn Long believes his side’s main priority should be not to get beaten when they travel to fellow Airtricity League First Division strugglers, Finn Harps in Ballybofey this evening (kick-off8pm).

Although Devon have been producing performances of a certain standard, four defeats in their opening five games has forced their coach Long to set more realistic targets.

“Our main priority is not to get beaten – that is first and foremost – up there and then we will see what happens,” says Long. “I suppose, yes, Finn Harps are also in the bottom three, so we have to be looking to take something from these sort of games.”

Finn Harps have also struggled to secure positive results in the opening rounds. With three games played, they have two draws and one loss, which sees them just a point ahead of Salthill on the league table.

“It is always difficult, though, when you travel to Donegal; it is a totally different venue to any other,” says Long. “A couple of the title contenders have already travelled there and only came away with a draw.”

Indeed, last season, Salthill lost 2-0 to Harps up in Ballybofey in the first series, were defeated 1-0 at home mid-season, and lost 3-2 up North again in the final series of games. It does not bode well for Devon this evening.

“The short term aim for us is to steady the ship,” continues Long, who has no fresh injury concerns to report, although player/manager Mike Quirke must serve a three-match ban after picking up an additional red card. “The performances have been good enough so far, but we need to build a bit of momentum from those.

“Maybe we have not been creating enough chances for the amount of possession we have been having, but hopefully we can rectify that against Finn Harps. I definitely think that we have been competing a lot better; we have just been losing the games by an odd goal or two. So, we are not that far away and I do think we are on the verge of something.”

For more, read this week's Galway City Tribune.