First Division

Finn Park
03 Mar 2023

Home wins and away goals, it's said, will keep a team in contention in most leagues - but Wanderers really should have secured the win in Ballybofey, given their significant territorial advantage throughout the first half.

The home team, however, took the lead following what looked like a stray foot by Harry Groome on Ellis Farrar. Ryan Flood stood over the free in the D, and Ryan Rainey lined up alongside the Bray wall, peeling away to leave a space when Flood tapped sideways to Seamas Keogh who simply steadied the ball allowing the free taker a second go, which he sent powerfully through the gap beyond the reach of Alex Moody.

Less than a quarter hour later, Guillermo Amiral played Ger Shortt in down the left, and his cross was chested back by Chris Lyons into the path of Groome, who smashed in a stunning 20m right footed half volley to the net.

Bray continued to have the advantage in possession, though less so in the second period when both sides had opportunities to change the outcome. But the scoreline remained stubbornly unchanged to the end.

Full report to follow

Bray Wanderers: 1 Alex Moody; 2 Eoin Farrell, 12 Cole Omorehiomwan, 14 Dane Massey (c), 18 Max Murphy; 7 Conor Crowley, 21 Guillermo Amiral, 8 Harry Groome , 11 Gerard Shortt ; 9 Chris Lyons, 19 Jake Walker
Subs: 3 Len O'Sullivan (for Farrell 65), 4 Jack Hudson, 6 Luka Lovic (for Amiral 57), 10 Conor Davis (for Groome 78), 16 Callum Thompson (for Lyons 65), 20 Conor Knight, 23 Joseph Power (for Shortt 78 inj), 24 Zach Donohue, 25 Stephen McGuinness (gk)
Finn Harps: 1 Tim-Oliver Hiemer; 14 Caoimhin Porter , 5 Keith Cowan (c), 4 Daithi McCallion, 18 Ellis Farrar; 6 Noe Baba , 7 Ryan Flood , 22 Ryan Rainey; 11 Seamas Keogh, 19 Okwuy Okwute , 10 Michael Harris
Subs: Subs: 8 Katlego Mashigo (for Keogh 64), 9 Filip Fjeldheim da Silva, 12 Cian Lynch (for Okwute 58), 15 Kevin Jordan, 20 Sean O'Donnell (for Rainey 83), 21 Damian Duffy, 23 Jamie McKinney, 24 Sean O'Kane, 40 Oisin Farrell (gk)
Referee: Paul Norton