Match Report - Finn Harps 5 Bray Wanderers 0

 

A poor defensive showing saw Bray slip to their second SSE Airtricity Men's First Division defeat in a row. 

The Wicklow team played for an hour with ten men following the dismissal of Calum Costello. 

At that stage, Wanderers were 2-0 down. They trailed 3-0 at the break before succumbing 5-0 to Finn Harps on Friday evening at Finn Park. 

From the team beaten last week at the Carlisle Grounds 3-1 by Dundalk, the Seasiders handed a full League debut to striker Danu Kinsella-Bishop. 

On the bench, midfielder and Bray native Jamie Ryan was included in the first team squad for the first time. 

The home side flew out of the traps with Gavin Hodgins rattled the crossbar in the third minute. That pressure led to a corner 30 seconds later. 

From David Cawley corner, Conor Tourish’s header was tipped onto the bar by Jimmy Corcoran. 

The goalkeeper somehow stopped Max Hutchinson’s follow up on the line. But Assistant referee Conor Fitzgibbon ruled Hutchinson’s second rebound had crossed the goal-line. 

The Donegal outfit doubled that lead in the 27th minute. Cawley delivered a cross from the right where Hodgkins got ahead of his marker to steer in a close range header at the front post. 

It got worse for the visitors soon after. 

Having been booked in the tenth minute for a tackle on Mikey Place, winger Callum Costello challenged the defender again in the 31st minute. 

After a delay to both players to receive treatment, referee Glen Geraghty flashed a second yellow to the on-loan from Waterford player in the 32nd minute. 

It became 3-0 five minutes before the interval. 

McNamee swing out a free from the left which was headed clear. The ball dropped to Place in the ‘D, with the full-back’s right footed half volley flying to the left corner of the net. 

Any hope of a Green and White revival was extinguished within 25 second sof the start of the second period. 

Place won possession in his own half. Then threaded a through ball to the breaking Dara McGuinness. With no offside flag, the striker evaded Corcoran and slotted to the net. 

The Ballybofey based club made it 5-0 in the 63rd minute. 

Hodgkins span off tackle on the left of the penalty area. He squared low across for the unmarked McNamee to scuff to the right corner of the net from six-yards. 

Bray’s only opportunity to pull one back came in the 76th minute. 

Kinsella-Bishop won the ball in the home half. He held off the attentions of sub Josh Cullen. He broke into the right of the box. But angled his low drive across the face of goal. 

The hosts almost scored again in the last minute of normal time. Cullen headed against the post with Hodgins unable to convert the close range rebound. 

 

Finn Harps: David Chukwuemeka Aziaya; Michael Place, Max Hutchinson, Conor Tourish (Adam McDaid 71), Kevin Jordan (Joel Bradley-Walsh 61); David Cawley, Joel Thompson (Gradi Lomboto 61); Patrick Ferry (Anthony Dodd 61), Tony McNamee (Josh Cullen 71), Gavin Hodgins; Dara McGuinness. 

 

Subs not used: Max Johnston, Gavin Gilmore, William Olamipo Oduwa, Shane O'Gara. 

 

Booked: Ferry 42, Jordan 43, McNamee 59. 

 

Bray Wanderers: Jimmy Corcoran; Max Murphy, Kilian Cantwell, Paul Murphy, Jamie Duggan (Harvey Warren 78); Cian Doyle (Rhys Knight 59), Jordan Tallon (Jamie Ryan 78); Guillermo Almirall (Rhys Bartley 59), Cian Curtis (Conor Knight 39), Calum Costello; Danu Kinsella-Bishop. 

 

Subs not used: Dylan Barnett, Richard Ferizaj, Stephen McGuinness. 

 

Booked: Doyle 49, Tallon 67. 

 

Sent off: Costello 33 (booked 10 and 33). 

 

Referee: Glen Geraghty (Dublin). 

 

Pictures: Joe Boland (North West NewsPix).