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Date Time League Season
7 July 2023 8:00 pm LOI Men's First Division 2023

Match Report

Bray and Harps play out scoreless draw

A scrappy affair at Balleybofey saw Finn Harps and Bray Wanderers play out a tense 0-0 draw.

Both sides may feel aggrieved to not have picked up the maximum 3 points, with the bar being struck at both ends within five minutes in the second half, but a draw seemed fair on balance.

Bray started the game well and had a big chance to tale the lead within the first five minutes. A corner found a free Ben Feeney and his header was cleared off the line for a corner by Ryan Flood. Only a few minutes later and a freak goal almost occurred. Max Murphy got free down the right and hit a cross-cum-shot which almost caught Heimer out in the Harps net, but the German keeper did manage to keep a hand to tip it onto the bar and over. 

Harps grew into the game after this and held most of the ball for the first half while not creating many chances. The biggest chance for them came from Shane O’Donnell but his effort was well matched by McGuinness. 

The second half was much the same, except for the two big chances in the middle of it. First, Ryan Flood picked up the ball from deep and dribbled past two Bray players. He then let fly from about 30 yards out with the ball flying towards the top corner. The brilliant strike was equalled by an amazing McGuinness save who somehow tipped the ball onto the bar. Less than five minutes later and a corner was dropped loose in the Harps box. Jack Hudson was first to it and his half-volley cannoned off the bar and back into play and the home side cleared their lines.

The return of cult hero BJ Banda is probably the story of the night from Finn Park as both sides can take some solace in a point, perhaps the home side more so as Finn Harps recover from a 6-1 drubbing away to Waterford last week and keep a clean sheet.

Finn Harps

1Tim Heimer Goalkeeper
4Daithi McCallion Defender
77Scott Wara Defender
55Matty Makinson Defender
30Jamie Watson Defender
7Ryan Flood Defender
42Max Hutchison 14 Midfielder
10Dan Stokoe 6 Midfielder 18'
12Stephen Doherty Midfielder
27Patrick Ferry 28 Forward
20Sean O’Donnell 19 Forward
5Keith Cowan Defender
6Noe Baba 10 Defender
14Caoimhin Porter 42 Defender
15Kevin Jordan Defender
17Shane McMonagle Midfielder
19Daniel Okwute Forward
21Damian Duffy Midfielder
25Oisin Cooney Goalkeeper
28Aaron McLaughlin 27 Forward
19BJ Banda 20 Forward 89'

Bray Wanderers

25Stephen McGuinness Goalkeeper
3Len O’Sullivan Defender
18Max Murphy Midfielder
4Jack Hudson Defender
7Conor Crowley Midfielder
8Harry Groome 11 Midfielder
9Chris Lyons 16 Forward
14Dane Massey Defender
15Ben Feeney Forward
17Darren Craven Midfielder 40'
77Nadre Butcher Forward
1Alex Moody Goalkeeper
6Luka Lovic Midfielder
11Ger Shortt 8 Forward
16Callum Thompson 9 Forward
20Conor Knight Midfielder
21Guillermo Almirall Midfielder
23Lorcan Fitzgerald Defender
23Joe Power Midfielder
24Zach Donohue Defender
  • 96'

    Full time at Finn Park and both sides can see ways in which they could have won tonight but a point seems a fair result. 0-0 here, thanks for joining me this evening.

  • 92'

    McLaughlin goes into the book now.

  • 91'

    Five minutes at the end here added on.

  • 89'

    Banda on his return has been booked.

  • 86'

    Double change for Harps, Porter and McLaughlin on for Ferry and Hutchinson.

  • 84'

    Second Bray change as Shortt replaces Groome.

  • 81'

    A booking for Murphy which could well have been more...

  • 74'

    Second Harps sub, Baba on for Stokoe.

  • 70'

    Bray make their first change now as Thompson comes on for Lyons.

  • 63'

    A deflected effort from Craven is just narrowly wide of the near post, chances coming thick and fast now for both teams.

  • 61'

    A mistake by Hudson gives the ball to the sub Banda who races in behind and gets a shot away which McGuinness gets a strong hand to and puts out for a corner.

  • 57'

    First change of the game is for the home side as the returning BJ Banda comes on for O'Donnell.

  • 55'

    Now Bray hit the bar! A corner falls loose and first to react is Hudson and his half volley cannons back off the upright. Both sides with big chances in the last few minutes.

  • 51'

    Almost a goal of the season contender from Flood! He picks the ball up deep, dribbles past two Bray players and unleashes brilliant left-footed shot to which McGuinness was equal with a superb save.

  • 46'

    Back underway here for the second half.

  • 48'

    Hal time at Finn Park, a tight game here with little chances for either side. Much to do for both.

  • 46'

    2 minutes added on here.

  • 40'

    Brays first yellow of the evening goes to Darren Craven for a high foot.

  • 39'

    An almighty scramble from a corner causes Finn Harps a lot of trouble but its ultimately put out for a goal-kick, although the ball looked like it came off of Heimer first.

  • 34'

    Another lull in the game as the home side hold most of the ball but Bray getting sparse counter attacks too.

  • 20'

    Harps have their first chance of the game now, O'Donnell got in behind but McGuinness was equal to him and blocked his shot away.

  • 18'

    First booking of the game goes the way of the home side, Stokoe enters the referee's book.

  • 17'

    Game has levelled off in the last 10 minutes as Harps have gotten more of the ball.

  • 7'

    Another huge chance for the away side sees Murphy get free down the right side. His cross-cum-shot is tipped onto the bar and over from Heimer.

  • 3'

    First big chance of the game goes Bray's way as a corner is met by Feeney and his header is cleared off the line for another corner.

  • Underway here at Balleybofey.

  • Finn Harps make numerous changes since their previous game, 7 in total compared to only 2 for Bray.

  • Good evening and welcome to this First Division game between Finn Harps and Bray Wanderers. We will have team news in very shortly.

Past Meetings

(Round 14)
2 - 0
LOI Men's First Division
Carlisle Grounds

Bray Wanderers FC 2-0 Finn Harps FC

(Round 3)
1 - 1
LOI Men's First Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC 1-1 Bray Wanderers FC

7 - 5
eLOI Group D
Online Event

Finn Harps v Bray Wanderers

(2nd Round)
0 - 2
FAI Cup
Carlisle Grounds

Bray Wanderers v Finn Harps

2 - 3
LOI Men's Premier Division
Carlisle Grounds

Bray Wanderers FC v Finn Harps FC

3
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC v Bray Wanderers FC

5 - 3
LOI Men's Premier Division
Carlisle Grounds

Bray Wanderers FC v Finn Harps FC

2 - 1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC v Bray Wanderers FC

1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Carlisle Grounds

Bray Wanderers FC v Finn Harps FC

1
LOI Men's Premier Division
Finn Park

Finn Harps FC v Bray Wanderers FC

Ground

Finn Park
Finn Park, Navenny Street, Stranorlar Electoral Division, Lifford-Stranorlar Municipal District, County Donegal, F93 Y27K, Ireland

This second year journalism student in Dublin City University has an avid Soccer and League of Ireland fan since his first visit to the Carlisle Grounds over a decade ago.