Finn Harps impress against Bray Wanderers to advance to FAI Cup quarter-finals

Finn Harps advanced to the quarter-finals of the FAI Cup as they came from behind to defeat Bray Wanderers in Finn Park.

A good start from the Seagulls saw them threaten early, and that continued until they took the lead as Cian Curtis fired low into the bottom corner on eight minutes.

Josh Cullen headed an equaliser five minutes later, and two goals in three minutes from Max Hutchison and a Hans Mpongo penalty put the Harps ahead by two on the half-hour mark.

Bray tried to find a way back into the game, but a straight red card for the already booked Billy O’Neill after a poor challenge on Idir Zerrouk made it an easier job for the Harps, who put their name into the hat for the last eight.

The Harps made three changes from their win over Kerry as captain Tony McNamee and forwards Gradi Lomboto and Hans Mpongo came back into the side, with the injured Kieran Cooney missing out as Shaunie Bradley and Mikey Place dropped to the bench.

That 1-0 win in Mounthawk left the Harps with one loss in five, although the meeting of these two at the same venue eleven days previous saw the hosts lose a two-goal lead deep into added time, which would have stung.

And it was the Wicklow men who began how they finished that match as they were on the front foot from the off, Justin Ferizaj firing wide inside a minute before a trio of Cian Curtis chances.

First, he was found by Guillermo Almirall in between the Harps centre halves, but Conor Tourish did well to put him off.

Then it was Joel Bradley Walsh who did enough to make him blast wide from the right after a Ferizaj through ball, but it was third time lucky on eight minutes.

Well inside his own half, Ferizaj dinked the ball over the Harps' defence and Curtis got on to the ball in a central position, taking a touch and firing low into the bottom right corner.

That was a bit of a wake-up call for the Harps, although Almirall had the next attempt, which was easily saved by Lorenzo Piaia.

But it took just five minutes for the equaliser to fall, as Gradi Lomboto was tripped outside the box on the right.

And teen sensations combined as Gavin McAteer’s floated cross went straight to an unmarked Cullen, who headed over James Corcoran and into the net.

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The momentum quickly swung on this, and the Harps dominated, with fair shouts for a penalty as McAteer nipped the ball away from former Harps defender Killian Cantwell and went down in the box, but Damien McGraith was having none of it.

A super move almost ended in what would have been the goal of the season, two brilliant flicks between McAteer and McNamee before the captain found Mpongo who took a touch but blasted over from the edge of the box.

The lively McAteer then put in a delightful cross from the left, but there were no takers as it was headed out to McNamee, who volleyed wide.

Bray got up the pitch for the first time in a while and threatened, with a brilliant sliding challenge from Bradley Walsh getting the ball cleared, and the Harps went up the other end as Idir Zerrouk found Mpongo on the left.

Mpongo turned inside and out, beating his man in the box and pulled it back for Hutchison, who fired in from six yards.

It got even better three minutes later on the half-hour mark as Mpongo was tripped in the box by Jamie Duggan, and the forward stepped up, stuttered, and fired low into the bottom left corner.

There was just one chance in the last fifteen minutes of the half, but five yellow cards, three for Harps, as Bradley Walsh, Tourish, O’Neill and Curtis all got booked for a skirmish after O’Neill caught Piaia late.

Bray threatened late on in the half however, as Max Murphy’s corner found Paul Murphy, whose header was headed off the line by McNamee, and Almirall volleyed wide as the half-time whistle went.

After the restart, Bray had a great opening ten minutes, and it was backs to the wall for the hosts, but Billy O’Neill was shown a straight red card on 53 minutes for a sore-looking challenge on Zerrouk, which helped the cause of Kevin McHugh’s men.

The needle stayed in the game, with chances few as Curtis hit the side netting, and another yellow apiece as McNamee stopped a counter, while Max Murphy was fortunate to only get a yellow after a two-footed challenge on McAteer.

Chances came at a premium after this, but the Harps should have got a third when Gradi Lomboto nicked the ball off Max Murphy and had a three-on-one with Mikey Place and Mpongo wide open, but with Cantwell closing, he got a block on Lomboto’s shot at goal.

Conor Knight blasted over on the half volley, while McNamee’s corner was volleyed over by Hutchison.

And Mikey Place should have put icing on the cake in added time as he was played in by fellow substitute Shaunie Bradley, but he sidefooted wide.

But as a dramatic game, with goals, cards, and added time in abundance, it was Kevin McHugh’s men who would advance to the quarter-finals.

Finn Harps: Lorenzo Piaia; Josh Cullen, Conor Tourish, Joel Bradley Walsh, Idir Zerrouk; Oran Brogan, Max Hutchison, Tony McNamee; Gavin McAteer (Mikey Place 73), Gradi Lomboto (Gavin Hodgins 89), Hans Mpongo (Shaunie Bradley 86).

Bray Wanderers: James Corcoran; Jamie Duggan (Richard Ferizaz 61), Killian Cantwell, Paul Murphy, Max Murphy; Rhys Bartley (Cristiano Bramley 61), Cian Doyle (Rhys Knight 79), Justin Ferizaj; Guillermo Almirall (Conor Knight 61), Billy O’Neill, Cian Curtis.

Referee: Damien McGraith.