Premier

Oriel Park
27 Jul 2014

Dundalk's Cherrie claims under pressure
pic Michael Tierney

Bray fans will be concerned that after a brisk series of encouraging friendlies, it seems normal service has been resumed.

Succumbing to an early sucker-punch, the Seagulls had to battle against a home lead from the third minute on, Pat Hoban catching Bray's defence on the hop. Richie Towell found Kurtis Byrne whose shot was well saved by Shane Redmond, but Towell followed up to fire home from a tight angle.

It got worse midway through the half, when Byrne himself followed up a Darren Meenan effort to tap home.

And though Bray made a livelier start to the second period, Hoban and Byrne doubled their hosts' advantage between them in a four-minute spell around the hour.

Even though it barely amounted to a consolation with seven minutes left, and was cancelled by a final Hoban strike a minute later, it was nonetheless encouraging to see Issy Akinade break his League duck for the season.

On this showing, Bray need to do some serious target practice if they are to avoid the trap-door come October.

In an early period that seemed all Dundalk, a Wanderers free-kick broke down, allowing Dundalk to drive forward in numbers. Towell spread from a Hoban feed for Byrne whose effort was palmed away by Redmond, but the former Celtic midfielder was on hand to finish from a narrow angle.

Towell almost doubled his tally minutes later, and Hoban failed to connect with a fine Meenan pass before Redmond came out of his area to hoof the next danger clear.

A curling corner to the back post from Meenan was headed back across the area by Gartland but nobody was there to take advantage.

Midway through the half, the Lilywhites should have been two ahead. They took full advantage of the space Bray were giving them to play as Ruaidhri Higgins spread for Towell who took one touch inside and crossed to the back post where Hoban flung himself at it but headed wide when he looked set to score.

Two minutes later, they did double their lead. Michael Barker was penalised for trying to steal yards from a throw and a quick home throw caught Bray out, Hoban sending a cross to the back where Jake Kelly and Joe Gorman failed to clear their lines, gifting the ball to Meenan.

Redmond could only push his piledriver out and Byrne was in the right place to prod home from close range.

The first-half finished with the Bray goal under threat again. Towell's pass was lifted brilliantly into Byrne's path by Hoban but his strike flew just past the post.

Philly Hughes almost grabbed a goal for the Seagulls early in the second half with a well-taken volley, Peter Cherrie claiming at the second attempt.

Hughes continued to be Bray's threat, sending another shot narrowly wide of Cherrie's near post from the right.

Five minutes in, Towell raced past Shane O'Connor towards the goal but the defender did just enough to narrow the angle for the midfielder who fired over.

The third goal for Dundalk came just before the hour mark when Byrne robbed Michael Barker on the left before crossing to Hoban who tucked it away.

Just four minutes later Towell raced at the defence and when the ball broke away from him, it did do so kindly for Byrne who met it with a right footed volley that sailed into the top corner of the net.

Dundalk went close to a fifth when former Seagulls Dane Massey took down Meenan's free kick and sidestepped a defender but his final shot was well saved.

Inside the final ten minutes Cherrie had to dive to deny a low skidding volley from Shane O'Neill, but he was beaten seven minutes from time when Akinade was played in, suspiciously ahead of the play, before drilling low to the net.

Dundalk restored their cushion when substitute Donal McDermott showed good feet to beat his marker and drill across goal for Hoban to supply another close range finish.

Compiled by Mícheál Ó hUanacháin

Bray Wanderers: 1 Shane Redmond; Michael Barker, 4 Joe Gorman, 5 Adam Mitchell, 15 Shane O'Connor; 8 David Cassidy, 10 Jake Kelly, 24 Graham Kelly, 16 Dean Zambra; 9 Ismahil Akinade, 20 Philip Hughes
Subs: 6 Eric McGill (for G Kelly 68), 7 Shane O'Neill (for Hughes 64), 12 Niall Cooney, 13 Ryan Coombes (for Cassidy 75), 18 Ciarán Byrne, 23 Gareth McDonagh, 32 Stephen McGuinness (gk)
Dundalk: 1 Peter Cherrie; 2 Sean Gannon, 3 Brian Gartland, 4 Andrew Boyle (c), 14 Dane Massey; 11 Kurtis Byrne, 12 Ruaidhri Higgins, 7 Daryl Horgan, 21 Darren Meenan; 17 Richard Towell; 9 Pat Hoban
Subs: 8 John Mountney (for Meenan 81), 15 Mark Griffin, 16 David McMillan (for Byrne 86), 18 Mark Rossiter, 19 Simon Kelly, 20 Donal McDermott (for Horgan 62), 22 Gabriel Sava (gk)
Referee: Tomás Connolly