Bray Wanderers 0 Monaghan United 0 (AET, Bray win 7-6 on penalties):Chris Shields recovered from scoring an extra-time own goal to net the winning penalty minutes later and keep Bray Wanderers in the League of Ireland Premier Division.
The Bray defender looked to have handed top-flight football to Monaghan United at the Carlisle Grounds when he turned Don Tierney’s effort into his own goal in the 118th minute, but a Jake Kelly equaliser mercifully offered him the chance at redemption.
Just like the first leg on Friday evening there was nothing to choose between the sides after 90 minutes.
The homeside pressed hard in the dying minutes as Dean Zambra twice went close, but they didn’t have it all their own way as Monaghan threatened on a number of occasions.
On the hour, Alan Byrne headed into the ground and over the bar from Seán Brennan’s cross, and soon afterwards, Brian Kane was called upon to deny Shane Grimes.
He and his counterpart Gabriel Sava kept their goals intact, however, and referee Declan Hannay was forced to usher in extra-time.
Bray pushed hardest early on and Sava was again on hand, this time to deny Kelly minutes in the second period.
A goal was looking increasingly unlikely but two suddenly came in the space of four minutes, first when Tierney’s effort hit the net via Shields with two minutes left.
It was a cruel and seemingly irreversible blow but Kelly rescued the Seagulls after the restart when Sava dropped a cross and the forward finished the rebound to send it to penalties.
Bray blinked first from 12 yards when Gary Shaw missed, but Alan Byrne missed the fifth for Mons, allowing Danny O’Connor to ensure sudden death.
The teams scored two apiece before Paul Whelan’s miss gave Bray the chance to stay in the big league and Shields duly obliged.