Finn Harps 1 (Whitehead 8)
Bray Wanderers 0
at Finn Park, Ballybofey
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The Donegal men who finished third behind First Division runners-up Bray this season, ensured their second win in four meetings this year over Wanderers, with all eyes now on Saturday’s second leg at the Carlisle Grounds (kick-off 7.00pm).
In front of their biggest crowd of the season, Harps made the perfect start when English striker Damien Whitehead hit home his ninth goal of the season to hand Noel King’s side an early lead. Harps began attacking early with Paddy McGrenaghan particularly elusive down the right flank.
And it was an eighth minute left wing cross from Niall Bonner that unlocked a Bray defence, missing the services of November player of the month Wesley Charles through suspension. Bonner's ball saw miscommunication between goalkeeper John Walsh and his central defender Jody Lynch, with Whitehead pouncing to prod the ball home from close range.
Midfielder Bonner, a former Irish schoolboy international, had a pop at the Bray goal on 16 minutes which was not too far away, following good build up play from Nigerian defender Eloka Asokuh and McGrenaghan.
The visitors best chance of the opening half came with their first real attack as striker Stephen Fox went close with a 15-yard drive on 17 minutes which was saved well by Gary Ramsey. Harps were all over Bray in terms of possession and pressing for a second, Jonathan Minnock could only watch as his curling free kick four minutes later just went over of former Harps goalkeeper Walsh's goal. Fox again proved to be Bray’s best source of goal chances, especially on the counter attack, as he managed to round Ramsey just after the half hour but produced a poor shot which flashed wide of the left upright, with Harps’ skipper Declan Boyle in close attendance.
Bray seemingly settled for a 1-0 result with the hour mark in sight, defending in numbers, but a surging 30-yard Kevin McHugh run on 66 minutes caught them flat-footed and the top-scoring Harp unleashed a cracking right-footed effort only marginally wide of Walsh’s right post.
Chances became fewer and fewer with Pat Devlin’s men shutting up shop, gifting just two late headers to Donal O’Brien and Shane Bradley, the second saved well by the under-worked Walsh.
Bray brought on three substitutions, including veteran striker Kieran ‘Tarzan’ O’Brien with ten minutes to play, again pulling men behind the ball, evidently confident of pulling off a result similar to their 3-1 home win over Harps in October, in three days’ time.