Finn Harps match report

Bray Wanderers 2 Finn Harps 3

Premier Division, Carlisle Grounds, 28 July 2017.

Wanderers made three changes to the starting X1 from the team that lost to St. Pats the week previous. Karl Moore, Darragh Noone and Anto Flood all started in place of Kevin Lynch, Jason Marks and John Sullivan. Goalkeeper Peter Cherrie made his 73rd consecutive league appearance to equal the club record.

After ten minutes Sean Houston played in Eddie Dsane but he fired over. Gary McCabe was denied on 23 minutes when his shot was deflected for a corner off Barry Molloy. Conor Kenna then forced Gallagher into tipping over his long range shot.

Harps took the lead on 24 minutes. McCourt played in Dsane and he fired past Cherrie. Wanderers lost defender Hugh Douglas with a head injury on 31 minutes. Wanderers should have equalised on 36 minutes. McCabe played in Brennan on the right and his low cross fell invitinly to Flood who was denied by a last ditch tackle from Boyle.

Harps doubled their lead on the stroke of half time. Debutant, Mark Timlim fired a free kick straight though the wall and into the net. Wanderers had claims for a penalty on 53 minutes when Ryan Brennan appeared to be taken down in the area by Gallagher but Buttimer ignored the Bray appeals.

On 63 minutes Dsane broke free and was brought down outside the area by the advancing Cherrie. Cherrie received a red card. Lee Stacey came on for his debut to replace Anto Flood. Wanderers pulled a goal back on 70 minutes when Arron Greene scored from close range from a Keith Buckley cross.

Ryan Brennan forced Gallagher into a stunning save on 70 minutes to keep Harps in front. Harps restored their two goal margin on 84 minutes when substitute Ibrahim Div-Keita headed home from a Boyle cross.

Ryan Brennan scored on 88 minutes when a corner was cleared to him on the edge of the area. Wanderers tried for an equaliser in the five minutes of added time but were unable to break the Harps rear guard.

Bray Wanderers: Peter Cherrie; Keith Buckley, Karl Moore, Conor Kenna, Hugh Douglas, Mark Salmon, Darragh Noone, Gary McCabe, Ryan Brennan, Aaron Greene, Anto Flood. Subs: Ger Pender, John Sullivan, Tim Clancy (for Douglas 31), Jason Marks (for McCabe h/t, Jamie Aherne, Lee Steacy (gk) (for Flood 64), Derek Foran.

Finn Harps: Ciarán Gallagher; Ethan Boyle, Kilian Cantwell, Patrick Mailey, Ciarán Coll ,Barry Molloy; Caolan MacAleer , Seán Houston, Patrick McCourt, Mark Timlin; Eddie Dsane Subs: Damien McNulty, Gareth Harkin (for Houston 79), Jonathan Bonner (for Timlin 73), Tommy Lee McCarron, Ibrahim Div-Keïta (for Dsane 83), Pascal Millien, 81 Thomas McBride

Referee: Anthony Buttimer

Match Report: Michael Duffy

Attendance: 563