Play-off hopes dented as Finn Harps pegged back twice by Bray Wanderers 

Finn Harps’ play-off hopes are hanging by a thread.

They now must beat both Wexford FC and Treaty United at Ballybofey and hope that Bray Wanderers lose at St. Colman’s Park against Cobh Ramblers.

Harps and the Seagulls served up a pulsating thriller that saw the visitors lead twice through Tony McNamee and Success Edogun but they were pegged back on both occasions as Guillermo Almirall and Shane Griffin found equalisers.

Oisin Cooney flew back in from international duty for the trip to the seaside and he kept Bray at bay for the opening half.

On 13 minutes, Bray captain Kilian Cantwell floated a ball up towards Magerusan. He was outnumbered but still managed to get a shot. His toe-poke was halted by Cooney.

The peppering of the Harps goal continued. O’Sullivan’s clever disguised pass freed Craven in the area and he drilled it low towards the near post but Cooney stuck out a left leg and managed to repel it.

On 36 minutes, Harps took a shock lead. Jamie Watson’s pass found Patton. He then rolled it into McNamee’s path who broke through and calmly slotted past Corcoran.

Watson then managed to meander his way into the Bray box almost unchallenged and Patton was licking his lips at the cutback but Harry Groome nipped in at the vital moment to eliminate the threat.

Omorehiomewan should have dealt with a long ball in the 42nd minute but he didn’t and Edogun pinched it. He charged towards goal and unleashed a ferocious shot from 18 yards that Corcoran managed to get behind and catch at the second attempt.

The Seagulls may have ended the first half on the ropes but they landed a body blow less than two minutes into the second period. Magerusan’s angled run took him into the left of the penalty area. He squared it for Almirall whose low shot was parried by Cooney but it spin over the line much to the custodian’s despair.

Edogun has caused Bray anguish over the years and that was the case on Friday again as he was bundled over by Zach Nolan in the area and he converted coolly from the spot to send the travelling fans delirious.

But they came crashing back down to earth two minutes later as Griffin ghosted through the heart of the Harps defence and chested down Cantwell’s chipped pass before smashing into the top corner.

Bray Wanderers: Jimmy Corcoran; Max Murphy, Kilan Cantwell, Cole Omorehiomwan, Zach Nolan; Darren Craven, John O’Sullivan (Ben Feeney 65), Harry Groome, Guillermo Almirall (Conor Knight 65); Shane Griffin; Cristian Magerusan.

Finn Harps: Oisin Cooney; Jamie Watson, Noe Baba, Matthew Mackinson, Luke O’Brien; Max Hutchinson, Ryan Rainey (Gavin McAteer 78); Success Edogun (Max Johnston 88), Tony McNamee, Patrick Ferry; Sean Patton.

Referee: Marc Lynch.