A terrific goal from Romanian Andrei Georgescu graced this encounter as Bray Wanderers eased their own relegation worries while inflicting further woe on bottom-of-the-table Finn Harps.

Georgescu struck a minute before the break to blast a brilliant left-foot volley past Gavin Cullen after referee Anthony Buttimer played a good advantage after a foul on Bray captain Jody Lynch.

The ball ran free to David Tyrrell, whose sublime diagonal pass picked out Georgescu, and he went on to score his third goal in four games.

Conceding so close to half-time was a bitter pill to swallow for Harps who, despite having little possession, troubled Bray on the counterattack, with Kevin McHugh an all-too-obvious menace.

The Harps striker first outfoxed Chris O'Connor to force the Bray goalkeeper into a good save before outpacing a sluggish defence and shooting wide.

Eamon Zayed, as ever, was Wanderers' chief threat and he ghosted past both Jonathan Minnock and Shane Bradley to shoot inches over the bar to register Wanderers' first real threat on 20 minutes.

Harps enjoyed their best spell on the resumption with Paddy McGrenaghan coming close four minute in.

But a dreadful defensive mistake proved disastrous for Harps, leading to a killer second goal on 67 minutes.

Shane Bradley misjudged the bounce of Georgescu's innocuous cross in from the left and Zayed controlled the ball before shooting home his 12th goal of the season.

Stephen Capper shot home from Chris Breen's cross to give Harps hope on 84 minutes, but Bray held out for a vital win.

BRAY WANDERERS: O'Connor; Gifford, Lynch, McGovern, Keogh; O'Reilly, Tresson, Fox, Tyrrell, Georgescu, Zayed. Sub: Ryan for Tyrrell (88 mins).

FINN HARPS: Cullen; Osokuh, Boyle, Bradley, Minnock; Lauchlan, Funston, Gorman, Capper; McGrenaghan; McHugh. Sub: Breen for Laughlan (64 mins).

Referee: A Buttimer (Cork).