Finn Harps suffer away loss to Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds

Finn Harps toiled but got their just desserts after something of a no-show at the Carlisle Grounds on Monday as they went down by a single goal to Bray.

The Donegal outfit drew a blank against the hosts who now leapfrog Harps into fourth spot thanks to Shane Griffin’s winning goal late in the first half.

Darren Murphy made five changes from the side that sunk Treaty United on Friday and it seemed to take its toll as Harps struggled to make any impact in the first period. 

The introductions of Sean O’Donnell, David Cawley and Success Edogun sparked the visitors into life in the second period but a few half-chances was all they could muster as they dropped to fifth.

It was a slow-burner to start with but Bray would soon begin increasing the temperature on Harps.

Wanderers vice-captain Darren Craven cracked off a daisy-cutter from 25 yards out that Conor Walsh was able to comfortably deal with.

The home side then had a penalty appeal turned down. Christian Magerusan used his strength to hold off his man and allow him to lay it off to the on-rushing Kieran Cruise. 

The winger entered the penalty area but momentarily lost the ball. This allowed a Harps defender to nudge him off the ball. Cruise went to ground but referee Jason Moore didn’t give it a second glance.

Bray then showed some lovely skills inside the area and Harry Groome very cleverly chipped it across the area to the waiting Freddie Turley but his volley flew 20 yards into the air and Harps dealt with it.

Magerusan was making himself a handful and he charged down the left flank and cut inside to go eye-to-eye with Conor Walsh but the shot-stopper smothered at the attacker’s feet.

Cruise was the latest to try and force the opener as he dangerously fizzed a shot across the face of goal on the half hour mark.

Midfielder Harry Groome showed sensational footwork to slalom past two defenders in the penalty area but his composure abandoned him somewhat for the finish as he drilled it towards the near post and a strong arm from Walsh managed to turn it behind.

Shane Griffin was operating in that free role just behind Magerusan and he found himself racing through on goal on 35 minutes. Not blessed by pace – Griffin thought it would be best to try and trick the covering defenders by cutting back but he tripped over the ball and the chance evaporated.

Griffin made no mistake when present with his next chance. Max Murphy found Turley on the right flank and his centre was coolly dispatched to the roof of the net  by Griffin from 12 yards.

With Harps offering no threat whatsoever in the first period, manager Murphy understandably shook things up at the break as O’Donnell, Cawley and Edogun were all introduced. 

Their presence certainly gave Bray more to think about and it saw Harps start the second period very brightly but the only chance they created was when Tony McNamee sprayed a lovely pass down the left that Patrick Ferry raced onto but his effort was blocked by Stephen McGuinness.

Prior to that, Noe Baba almost cost his side when he dallied on the ball and had it pinched off him by Cruise but his strike caused Walsh no fuss.

With Harps more adventurous in the second period, it left holes at the back for Bray to expose. An exquisite flick from Magerusan freed Turley down the right flank. His cross then found Magerusan but his strike was partially blocked; making it an easy save for Walsh.

Turley and Magerusan linked again on 77 minutes as the former’s cross was met first-time on the turn by the latter but it flew over the bar much to his audible frustration.

Harps piled the pressure on in the final minutes but this Bray side never looked like crumbling and it is back to winning ways for the Wanderers.

Bray Wanderers: Stephen McGuinness; Max Murphy, Jamie Duggan, Paul Murphy, Evan Osam; Freddie Turley (Guillermo Almirall, 80), Darren Craven, Harry Groome, Kieran Cruise ( Zach Nolan, 81); Shane Griffin; Cristian Magerusan (Conor Knight, 85).

Finn Harps: Conor Walsh; Jamie Watson, Noe Baba, Matthew Mackinson, Luke O’Brien; Darragh Coyle (Success Edogun, ht), Stephen Doherty (Ryan Rainey, 66); Patrick Ferry (Mark Mbuli, 74), Tony McNamee, Chris Lotefa (Sean O’Donnell, ht); Max Johnston (Dave Cawley, ht).

Referee: Jason Moore.