FAI Cup holders Bray Wanderers will embark on a damage limitation exercise in tonight's UEFA Cup first qualifying round first leg tie against Grasshoppers Zurich at the Hardturm stadium.
Goalkeeper John Walsh could face the busiest 90 minutes of his career. But manager Pat Devlin believes that the 30-year-old Walsh, a former Wicklow GAA 'keeper, can rise to the big European occasion.
"John was excellent in our FAI Cup final victory over Finn Harps. He has a reliable pair of hands, instinctive reactions and I rank him up there with the best keepers in the country," said Devlin. Walsh is all too aware that Grasshoppers will be all out for early goals to kill the tie. But he is relishing the challenge of pitting his abilities on this, his biggest stage to date.
"I expect Grasshoppers will try and put us under the cosh, early on," admitted Walsh. "It will be a big night for me. But that's the way to earn your money as a player and it's not every year we get to play in games like these".
The biggest threat to the Bray defence will come from 73-times capped Swiss international striker Stephane Chapuissat. After a six-year spell with former European cup holders Borussia Dortmund, the 30-year-old Chapuissat moved back from Germany to Grasshoppers in a £500,000 transfer deal during the close season.
Devlin is keeping his fingers crossed that defender Philip Keogh and Maurice Farrell will be given the all-clear to take their places in the starting line-up.
Keogh has fully recovered from a bout of tonsillitis while Farrell has received constant treatment on a shoulder injury.
Devlin will not name his side until just before the 6.30 p.m. kick-off time, but all the indications are that the 20-year-old Keogh will be detailed to mark the dangerous Chapuissat.
"Obviously, we will play it tight at the back, but I have a number of defensive options," said Devlin. "Grasshoppers are a technically proficient side, but if we can apply our concentration for the entire 90 minutes we can cause them problems."
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