 Time for our weekly League of Ireland chat, and I'm delighted to say former Funharps goalkeeper Gavin Cullen joins us once again. Gavin, welcome back to Highland. Awesome, thanks for having me. Gavin, later we'll talk about the FA Cup draw where you're on the road at St. Moctis, but you're joining us just a couple of days out from a northwest derby, where Funharps, of course, took on Derry City. Now, I've spoke to Ollie Horgan already this weekend. Ollie has sort of played down the significance of this game about the battle for sixth place that it's more important at the end of the season where they're sitting. But listen, you've been involved in derby games. How big a match is this on Friday for the Harps? Oh, it's a huge match. This season, I suppose, the mentality switched over the last season or two to Funharps Derry in terms of Funharps going, playing Derry and even Keele, and believing in getting results and getting results for years and years. Funharps struggled to beat Derry, to compete with them. And at the minute, the last few years, they're on leaving Keele or even an upward spiral. And at this moment in time, I know there's only a point between them and the league, but I think Harps are stronger. I think they have a stronger squad and stronger team than Derry. So there's no reason in the world why they can't go and take a three-point of Friday night. Yeah, it's interesting to note that Harps are the last team to beat Derry. They've been in a great run since they have Gavin. Yeah, they've turned around massively. They seem to have confidence since Rory Higgins has come in and about a belief in themselves. I felt at the start of the season, the squad was a bit lightweight and a bit short, but they definitely have turned it around a bit. Now you do get that reaction with the new manager, and obviously a lot of them will be playing to stay there and to show Rory what they can do. So that's obviously given them a shot in the arm, but whether it's sustainable with that squad, time will tell. I do believe Funharps are physically too strong for them. And up in Funpark, I think that'll factor into the game. Yeah, will that be the talent factor when it boils down to it? Could we have a really, really tight game where the physicality in the match is going to have a huge contribution to what could be just a 1-0 or a 2-1 victory, Gavin? Yeah, it will be tight. There's no two ways about it. There's no amount of standing. Set pieces you would expect Harps to have the physical edge. But then again, in their last home game in Slago, it was set pieces that undone Harps. So you don't know. Derri will be lively. They're playing with a bit of confidence. They've picked up a right few results recently. Harps haven't, although they got a real confidence boost and result the way they were over last week. So look, if my money was on anybody, it'll be Harps. But we could be seeing a draw there very handy. Yeah, the thing about Harps this season, when they go 1-0 behind or when they go 1-0 down, the game's not over for them. That's what it was like in previous seasons. There's a confidence there in the group that they can pull it back and particularly when you've got Adam Foley in the form that he's in, Gavin? Yeah, 100%. There's a bit of steel in the squad and there's depth in the squad as we keep talking about and they've loads of experience. So they know that while they're still on the game and they can hang in the game, they'll get their opportunities. They'll get their chances to get back in. And they have been taking them in fairness. As you say, Adam Foley has been superb this season. His goalscoring record has been first-class. He probably scored half of Harps' goals or more to this point. So if he can keep that sort of form for the rest of the season, no Harps will stay up bad league. Yeah, it's a busy period. There's three games in seven days. Harps have to go to St Pat's in London and they've got Longford back again. I suppose 2-1's out of three wouldn't be a bad week's work for Olly Hargan side, would it, Gavin? 2-1's out of three would be brilliant, you know. But I don't think they'll even be looking at Monday night at this stage with the Derey game. I think they'll be putting all their eggs in one basket to try and get the three points from Derey. And I suppose from the same perspective, Derey are making slag of Rovers on Monday as well. So two big derbies for them that Rory Higgins and Rafa Catero will be targeting something from. So if they've come out of it with two draws against those two sides, that would be a huge period in the season for them, Gavin. I think it would, but at the same time, I would say they would take 1-1 and 1-2 feet because they would be a point better off. So it'll be a yard stick for Rory and Rafa in terms of where the players are at in big games. And the pressure and the derby and stuff like that. So it'll be a real test of character and test of the players to play in these games. And if they come through it with a couple of results, like it sets them up lovely for the rest of the season as well. You mentioned earlier that you were in commentary for that slaggle game along with German. Do you think Harps might have learned from the mistakes from that night because that's that's a sore point while Harps losing that game in the manner that they did. Yeah, definitely. I felt Harps with a better side over the 90 minutes. I think in the first half, Tom Diaz, basically, and Barry McMeek caused a lot of problems for Slaggle and they definitely shouldn't have done the break. A couple of goals to the good. Must have chances. Ed McGinty was excellent in the night. Probably stole or won the points for Slaggle. Slaggle looked very good. They look strong. They look resilient. But Harps were actually better. If Harps play like that tomorrow night, I think I think they'll definitely get the three points. Learn from it. It's hard to learn. I think the basic individual errors that they're conceding the goals from. So in terms of learning from it, it's hard actually for Oli or Higsey to bring that in the training and get rid of them. They either happen or they don't. You know, but there has been quite a few points dropped this season because of basic individual errors and they're probably turning their head at this point because of it, you know. Yeah. So the rest of the game is Gavin in the Premier Division. There's a couple of crackers. So there is. We'll go to Slaggle. They've got some Patrick's Athletic at Richmond Park. Two teams battling, of course, in the top three. And you can sham it over to your head into Waterford, who are down at the other end of the table. But listen, Slaggle will be looking to bounce back after the defeat at the hands of Drohada the last time. And they'll be looking to do it in the style of Dublin. Yeah. Surprise. Surprise result against Drohada, but at the same time, Drohada are sitting fourth. So they definitely have something about about them this season from coming up from the first division. Slaggle have been. Probably the most consistent team in the league so far. They deserve to be on top. I would say it's probably a bit of a blip, but again, St. Pat's is a big test from on Friday. If they come away from Richmond with three points there, they're back on the roll again, you know. Yeah. Bows will be looking to close that gap and fourth against Drohada. Deleman parks the venue of that. That's a sort of game you could end up on a draw. You could say in a draw, Gavin. Could, yeah. But again, I think Bows might turn Drohada over. Bows have been a weeb and inconsistent for their own leg, and they were one of the top teams at the start of the season. Serious squad of players, serious ability. I think there'd be harps four and all down there a month or so ago, which was where you would expect from Bows. But they've been up and down and inconsistent, and it's shown in this league position and around Derri and harps as well. So I think Bows could go on a run at this point. Yeah, and you expect Rovers to come through against Waterford. Would it be handy enough for them? It should be, but Rovers haven't been just as good as expected. They've sort of huffed and puffed and scored late goals for Wunners and stuff like that. But I think everybody's money is still on them to go on and win this league, you know. Yeah. Is the move by Dundalk to bring back Vinny Perth a good move for the club? They're taking on Longford, and they've really had a dreadful season. Yeah. So they have a good move. Is it the right one for them? I don't know. I really don't know what's going on behind the scenes. I don't know. A couple of years ago Vinny Perth was within a kick of a ball of one-the-treble. No, granted, it was probably left over from Stephen Kenny's squad and team at that time, but they were still flying. Second season, I think Rovers, they got sacked last season. Rovers went on the league. But what's happened to Dundalk and with the players? And it looks like they've signed a lot of, you know, substandard players for their level this season. And where they're in the league is very surprising. So there's a lot of things going on behind the scenes. For Vinny Perth to come back, was he doing a good enough job at the time to stay there? Probably. So why was he sacked or why did he go and for himself to come back he hasn't worked since. So like he probably has agreements in place and whatever that they're going to back him and hopefully they do. But it's a strange one that it came full circle back to Vinny Perth and there was nobody else in contention. Yeah, we'll move away from the Premier Division of the League of Ireland, go to the FAA Cup. The draw was made this week, both yourselves at Cockhouse Celtic and Bonagie and Aitid have been drawn away. You know, St Mocked us pretty well. You've played them on three occasions in the past, Gavin. So what was your initial thoughts when the draw was made? I suppose another one away from home, first of all? First of all, yeah, away from home. We suppose it was well documented. We don't have much luck in terms of national competitions and getting home draws. But it is what it is. We have to deal with it. We've probably got the hardest draw, possibly. Mocked us are probably one of the top teams in the country at intermediate level. They do invest a lot in their playing squad. They have quite a lot of League of Ireland or ex-League of Ireland players and really good young players. So tough, tough draw. We don't know. It's 12 months since we played competitive football. It's really lottery to see where we're at and probably where they're at as well in terms of going on a pitch. So we can't judge on the past. But look, we'll go down there. We'll go try them on the game. The game has to be played, they'll finish. There's no replays. So that'll be a different sort of mindset. A lot of times you go to Dublin and like to take them home for a replay and try and do the business at home. But this is to be extra time penalty. So it's a big test. It's a good test for a lot of our new players and young players to see the level that can go two ways. We can go down there and get a result in one and we'll be delighted and we'll take it into the new season. Or we go down there and we lose the game. But it might set the standard of where we need to get there and open our eyes up. So we'll go with quick prepares best we can. We'll get the boys ready and we'll give it a go. But it is tough. I think with all accounts, the Lancers Senior League clubs are playing away at Friendlies at the minute. There are a couple of competitions doing there and their league actually starts the week before the FA Cup game. So that's a huge advantage. Our league is not going to start probably at the end of August. So we're sort of well behind in terms of preparation. We haven't played any Friendlies yet. We're struggling to get Friendlies. So it's not ideal, but Bonnig is the same, obviously. They're playing at Minnesar University. So there's apparently a decent side as well. It's a tough game for Bonnig, but all we can do is do our best at this point and we all give it a good go. Yeah, well, that's the best of luck, Gavin. With the FA Cup, we'll be talking more about that. I'm sure closer to the time. That's the week ending of Sunday, the 11th of July. But just finally, back to the Premier Division. You're sticking with the Harps 1 on Friday night in the Big Derby against Darby, are you? I'd go with the Harps 1 just. I think just the mate of that, we physicalise a lot more experience in the squad. Barry McMean, Mark Coyle are really on top of their game in the midfield. I think they might dominate that area. And physically, the back four are very strong. But again, Darry well-capable of causing not a shock, but no getting a result. But I think Harps will do the business. Okay, listen, Gavin, it's always good to talk to you. Thanks for joining us. Thank you, Essy. Good man, thanks.