The spoils were shared at the Carlisle Grounds as Michael O’Neill’s League of Ireland debut saw Rovers settle for a point.
Chris O’Connor excelled for Bray with a string of saves, while Rovers’ Paul Byrne was denied by the woodwork.
The first opportunity went the way of the Seagulls in the sixth minute.
Daire Doyle’s hooked long ball form his own half was chased down by Paddy Kavanagh.
The Republic of Ireland U23 International skipped in from the left past Sean Webb, but was closed down ten yards out, with the blocked ball falling into Barry Murphy’s arms.
The Dubliners nearly took a brilliant lead in the 14th minute, with former Irish U19 defender Foran off the field receiving treatment to a blood injury when Stephen Bradley’s corner was cleared.
But Ollie Cahill let fly from the loose ball 30-yards out.
It was heading towards the top corner only for Chris O’Connor to pull off a wonderful fingertip save.
In front of a great crowd of over 3,000, Wanderers went agonisingly close to breaking the dead-lock on the stroke of half time.
Chris Dean’s header off Dane Massey’s in-swinging free-kick from the right wing was hacked clear.
From Massey’s resulting throw-in from the left channel, Doyle headed on, and Paul Byrne nipped in and hit a close range flick with the outside of his right boot that struck the far post.
The second period was just 90 seconds old when the Hoops almost caught Wanderers napping.
A quickly taken free sent Bradley free, but the former Arsenal trainee blazed wide when well placed.
Bray went close again in the 56th minute. Futsal international Massey sent over a deep corner that Foran met, and the covering Bradley cleared off the line at the back post.
Rovers had another chance eight minutes later. Bradley’s measured pass sent Shane Robinson scampering through. But his attempted lob from outside the box was excellently clawed out by Australian Olympian O’Connor.
The custodian thwarted Robinson again in the second minute of stoppage time, pushing out the midfielder’s drive from the edge of the box.
Bray Wanderers: Chris O’Connor; Pender, Deans, Foran (Webster 90 mins), Massey; Coughlan, Daire Doyle, Mulcahy, McCabe (Mulroy 79mins); Kavanagh, Byrne (Forsyth 86 mins).
Shamrock Rovers: Murphy; Madden, Webb, Price, Bermingham;
Bradley (Sean O‘Connor 73 mins), Robinson, Rice, Cahill; Twigg
(Purcell 75 mins), Baker (Eoin Doyle 84 mins).
Referee: Anthony Buttimer (Cork).
