- Finn Harps FC have won 4, drawn 4 and lost 3 of their 11 home league games
- Treaty United FC have won 0, drawn 5 and lost 6 of their 11 away league games
Tight and Tense is the likely outcome
Two of the First Division's most modest outfits face off on Friday when 9th-placed Finn Harps FC, who have taken 22 points from 22 games so far, host 10th-placed Treaty United, who have collected 20 points from the same amount of matches. This game has a proper six-pointer feel about it and could be tight and tense as both sides lack the quality to pull away from each other.
David Rogers' side have built their game around the one-dimensional, but effective approach of getting their players to sit deep and compact, stay narrow and nick games on the counter attack or with set pieces. They are still looking, but their recent results have been mixed, with a 3-1 defeat away to Cobh Ramblers followed by a 1-1 draw at Athlone Town and a 1-0 home win over Wexford FC last time out.
Bernardo Monteiro has carried their only real goal threat of late, scoring two of their three goals in the last five games, but there have been some encouraging signs that his side can get back to winning ways.
Treaty looking to give Harps a harping
Their guests are still in search of their first win away in the First Division 2026 and have suffered some hefty defeats on the road, but Tommy Barrett's side have been much more proactive and attack-minded since he took over at the start of 2021. Barrett's Treaty prefer to play on the width of the pitch, create their chances at a quicker pace and press higher up the field, so this really is a classic low-block versus front-foot matchup.
Treaty's last three games have been a 4-0 hammering away to Cork City, followed by a 0-0 away draw at Wexford FC and then a 2-1 win against Kerry FC. The visitors will need striker Jason Oyenuga to be at his best again as he has scored two of their five goals in the past five games and looks their sharpest attacking weapon.
The odds for this clash are a bit tight, but do just about favour the visitors at 141/100, compared to 153/100 for Finn Harps and 117/50 for the draw. The Treats' record away is poor and Finn have been solid enough at home with 4 wins, 4 draws and 3 defeats in 11, conceding just 16 times.
Sides to share the spoils in a goal-fest
Barrett's men have conceded 22 times in 11 road games in the First Division 2026, which is an average of 2.00 per game and that is more than enough to keep the pressure on Finn's back four at Ballybofey. But Finn Harps' 3-0 win over Treaty at Finn Park seven weeks ago will be fresh in the memory of any player in a Treaty shirt and should serve as a reminder that their hosts can be bullied if the right tempo is set.
We're going for a narrow and tense draw in the full time result market and a flurry of goals to support it in the form of Over 2.5 goals and Both Teams To Score.
