- Stuart Connolly
- Fri, Aug 02 2024
Stuart Connolly reports from Finn Harps
Bray Wanderers picked up their first away win since the end of May with the help of a debutant at Finn Park on Friday night.
John O'Sullivan, on loan from Shamrock Rovers, opened the scoring with 25 minutes gone, but that goal was cancelled out by a strike from Jamie Watson just shy of half-time.
Guillermo Almirall popped up shortly after the hour for his second of the campaign and that put the hosts en route to four consecutive defeats in all competitions.
Bray Wanderers currently sit in fourth spot in the table, six points clear of sixth place, while Harps occupy the final playoff spot and are two points ahead of Cobh Ramblers.
Almirall rattled the crossbar with just three minutes on the clock, while Kieran Cruise was thwarted by a block from Conor Tourish a few minutes later.
Harps’ early exploits resulted in two decent chances, but both landed in a similar location, as Jamie Watson and David Cawley fired narrowly over the target.
With 25 minutes gone, Bray scored the first goal of the afternoon.
Max Murphy's delivery from the left was flicked on by Killian Cantwell, and O'Sullivan was ready at the back post to head the ball in off the underside of the bar.
It was a close call, one that required the linesman's flag, and none of the Harps squad protested as Bray ran off in celebration.
Sean Patton, who recently spent some time on trial at EFL Championship side Portsmouth, almost brought Harps level after the half hour mark, but a cool backheel rolled agonisingly wide of the target.
Five minutes prior to the interval, Harps found their equaliser.
Watson made a run down the right and cut inside, and he received the ball back immediately from Cawley, and from the edge of the box, he found the bottom right corner.
Cawley went within a whisker of putting Harps in front at the start of the second half, but his close-range effort thumped the post while his rebound flashed wide.
As the game entered its final 25 minutes, Bray retook the lead. Another set-piece after a clearance from Noe Baba, this delivery from Cruise landed at the feet of Almirall, and he made no mistake from close-range on the second attempt after his first strike was blocked.
Clear-cut chances dwindled for both sides in the aftermath of that goal, and it was only in the final few moments that another set-piece opportunity presented itself to Bray, but Paul Murphy headed over from ten yards out.
Finn Harps: Tim-Oliver Hiemer; Noe Baba (Patrick Ferry 88), Matthew Makinson, Conor Tourish, Jamie Watson; David Cawley (Aaron McLaughlin 82), Max Hutchison, Max Johnston (Luke O'Brien 67), Tony McNamee; Success Edogun, Sean Patton (Gavin McAteer 88).
Subs not used: Oisin Cooney, Kevin Jordan, Gavin Gilmore, Stephen Doherty, Ryan Rainey.
Booked: David Cawley (36), Max Hutchison (90).
Bray Wanderers: Jimmy Corcoran; Killian Cantwell, Kieran Cruise (Conor Knight 89), Max Murphy, Paul Murphy, Zach Nolan; Guillermo Almirall Peñalver, Darren Craven (Cole Omorehiomwan 90), Harry Groome, John O'Sullivan (Zayd Abada 81); Ben Feeney (Peter Grogan 65).
Subs not used: Stephen McGuinness, Evan Osam, Luke Smith, Alain Kizenga, Josh McGlone.
Booked: Paul Murphy (28), Kieran Cruise (56).
Referee: Aaron O'Dowd.
Attendance: 1002.
extratime.com Player of the Match: Guillermo Almirall (Bray Wanderers).
