Hegarty hopes to welcome back Shaun McGowan (ankle) and Aaron Labonte (groin), both of whom missed the League Cup game at the Brandywell on Bank Holiday Monday. Gary Beckett should be in contention for a shout next week, while Stephen Parkhouse has begun to undertake light training but could be a game or two away.

Another long term absentee has been Jonathan Minnock will be out of action until the mid-season break at the earliest with an achilles problem.

The bottom two meet at the Dyke Road and although it's certainly too early to call any match a must win, whoever takes the three points tonight can lay down a significant marker in the relegation dogfight.

Since Jeff Kenna was brought in, the westerners have improved after they picked up just one point in their first seven outings. Kenna's bow finished in a disappointing 3-2 home loss to Bray Wanderers, after Galway had pegged back a two-goal deficit.

A scoreless draw away to Derry City followed and a similar score against Sligo Rovers in the League Cup on Tuesday brought further encouragement. Galway held their nerve from the spot to win the shoot-out 6-5.

Hegarty was an interested spectator at the Showgrounds on Tuesday evening.

"I thought that Galway played very well," he said. "They worked very hard and came through it in the end. They’re a strong and physical side and will certainly be a handful. Sligo probably shaded the game on chances and a penalty late in the game (that Keith Foy missed), but Galway deserve credit. It was a good cup tie.

“They showed great heart and after a 0-0 draw in Derry last week, are improving. Mind you, I saw them three weeks ago, also in Sligo, and they did well that night to begin with. A bit like us though, their heads went down when they lost the first goal and they were beaten 3-0 in the end.”

As for his own team, Hegarty has been suffering of late watching from the various television gantries around the country. After showing signs of improvement in their 1-0 loss at United Park against Drogheda United last Friday, Harps went back to square one with a 3-0 defeat in the Brandywell against Derry on Monday in the League Cup.

Hegarty is aware that in such a rough and tumble league, any little positive can boost confidence. After all, it was only around this time last season when his team clicked into gear. Everyone knows how that concluded, and something from the same script would be appreciated this term.

"After playing reasonably well away to Drogheda United, the game in Derry saw a very poor performance from us,” Hegarty added. “There’s a few things wrong with this football club at the minute and that showing was one of them. We did fine to begin with, but once they scored the first goal, after a mistake from us, the game changed.

“Their second goal killed us and in all honesty, it could have been five or six by the end. Our heads dropped but it was not acceptable.