Finn Harps continued their impressive start to the campaign with a triumph over Bray Wanderers at Finn Park on Monday evening.
Finn Harps 2 – 0 Bray Wanderers
By Stuart Connolly with pics by Joe Boland
Stoppage time goals in each half from David Cawley and Tony McNamee sealed the three points and kept Harps in second place, one point off Cork City in top spot and four ahead of UCD, who travel to Finn Park on Friday.
Goalmouth action wasn’t frequent throughout the first-half and Cawley bagged his second goal of the season prior to the interval.
Harps were the better side in the second-half and Tony McNamee made it two goals in two in added time to guarantee the win.
On the back of only one defeat in their last five outings, Darren Murphy implemented just two changes to the side that secured a win late on in Limerick on Friday night.
Luke O’Brien was one alternation while Ryan Rainey started a match for the first time this campaign.
The Seagulls also modified their side with two different faces, Evan Osam and Paul Murphy.
Their form of late hasn’t been made for great reading but they enjoyed the early exchanges of this encounter.
Harps swiftly dealt with a majority of the corners that Kieran Cruise or Shane Griffin delivered but a couple of chances presented themselves to the away side. Harry Groome had the first with ten minutes gone but his strike from the edge of the area was well closed down and blocked by Ryan Rainey.
Paul Murphy had an opportunity at the midway stage of the game but his effort from a narrow angle ricocheted out for a corner.
Harps struggled to get a proper chunk of possession during much of the first-half and chances evaded them, that was until the final five minutes of the half.
Patrick Ferry squandered the first with five minutes to go until the break, heading over the bar from close range after a shot from Success Edogun deflected into his path.
With seconds left before a 15 minute rest, Harps broke the deadlock. Tony McNamee, who netted the winner on Friday night, was quick with his free kick on the right and drove forward to play in David Cawley, who bagged his second goal of the season with a finish at the near post.
Cole Omorehiomwan was involved heavily throughout the first-half, his no-nonsense defending thwarted any ball over the top and he continued that in the second-half and kept a close eye on Success Edogun.
On the hour, he was involved at the other end but headed just over the crossbar as Bray went in search of an equaliser.
That goal before half-time put a spring in the step of the Harps players and a triple substitution in the second-half helped them keep up their momentum in the quest for a second goal.
With just over a quarter of an hour to go, they came within a whisker of it. Noe Baba blasted an effort towards goal and the only thing that kept it out was the right leg of Stephen McGuinness.
Tony McNamee had an effort float into the gloves of McGuinness a few minutes later while Bray’s quest for a goal entered its final stage as Cole Omorehiomwan moved into a forward position and it nearly paid off with five minutes to go but his shot on the counter was comfortably gathered by Heimer.
With just minutes left on the clock, Harps bagged their second goal to wrap things up as the game entered stoppage time.
As pressure was applied to the Bray rearguard, Sean O’Donnell’s persistence kept Harps on the attack and he played the ball into the path of McNamee who calmly slotted the ball into the bottom right corner.
Finn Harps: Tim-Oliver Heimer; Jamie Watson, Conor Tourish, Matthew Makinson, Noe Baba; Ryan Rainey(Darragh Coyle 70), Luke O’Brien(Shane McMonagle 70), David Cawley, Tony McNamee, Patrick Ferry(Chris Lotefa 70); Success Edogun(Sean O’Donnell 83).
Bray Wanderers: Stephen McGuinness; Evan Osam(Rhys Knight 66), Killan Cantwell, Cole Omorehiomwan, Paul Murphy(Thomas Morgan 66); Kieran Cruise(Guillermo Almirall 89), Harry Groome, Freddie Turley, Shane Griffin, Conor Knight(Zach Nolan 66); Peter Grogan.
Referee: Daniel Murphy.
