Finn Harps boss Ollie Horgan eager to bring in new striker before transfer window closes

Horgan is hoping to bolster his attacking options before the close of the window next weekend

Ollie Horgan is looking ‘left, right and centre’ for a new striker before the transfer window closes tomorrow week.

The Finn Harps boss pulled off a coup by landing in-demand midfielder Barry McNamee from Derry City.

Dave Webster, Shane McEleney and Kosovar Sadik are other eye-catching signings for the Donegal club.

Versatile veteran Raff Cretaro rowed back on retirement plans to re-sign on Tuesday and Ryan Connolly is back in football.

But their arrival was offset by this week’s news of Mark Timlin’s season-ending cruciate injury.

Ahead of tonight’s clash with Sligo Rovers, Horgan said: “It was great to get Barry McNamee as it wasn’t a case of us choosing him - he had a lot of suitors.

“Thankfully he took a punt on us and hopefully it pays off.

“But the downside is we’ve lost a similar player in Mark for the entire season, so that makes Barry’s signing all the more important.”

With only a handful of training sessions under their belt, Horgan suggested that McNamee and Cretaro won’t be match fit for tonight’s opener.

And the Harps boss is still trying to bolster his squad ahead of the transfer deadline.

Horgan wants two more signings and said: “I don’t think it’s any secret that we don’t have an out-and-out centre forward - a No 9. 

“It’s extremely difficult to get them, for a whole load of reasons and not just financial ones. They’re two a penny.

“Derry got sorted (with Tim Andre Nilsen) by going to Norway. We’ve gone left, right and centre but it hasn't happened yet.

“We have time to solve it. We still have people to fill the position, but in the long term we're still lookin for that.”

Tonight, Rovers have their new signings Teemu Penninkangas, Darragh Noone, Garry Buckley, Jesse Devers and Will Seymore available.

Bit O’Red boss Liam Buckley said: “They’re all here with a point to prove. I’ve no doubt Ollie will be playing down Harps.

“But you can see by the signings with the likes of Barry McNamee that there is a greater strength and backing there this year.”