Premier

United Park
26 Sep 2014

Hanlon makes it two in a row
pics Michael Tierney

The Seagulls managed to hold on for a draw in United Park, when for a time they had seemed worth the win.

In what deteriorated into a feisty final quarter hour, a cardless game until then saw four yellows and two reds before the end.

Two first half chances, Graham Kelly with a free that flew bare inches outside the target and namesake Jake with a header that missed Micheál Schlingermann's posts marked a first half in which Stephen McGuinness had only one save of note to make.

And despite a couple of half-chances early in the second, it took until after the hour for Adam Hanlon to open the visitors' account.

Twelve minutes later, however, Drogheda substitute Paul Andrews equalised within minutes of arriving on the pitch.

Then things looked like falling apart for Bray when Ismahil Akinade got his marching orders for contact with Roy Kierans, and Shane O'Connor four minutes later for a late high challenge on Andrews.

But the visitors held out despite their numerical disadvantage, for what might turn out to be a crucial point.

In a niggly opening period, there was early nip and tuck as Akinade forced a parry from Schlingermann with a deep cross, but there was no colleague in place to take advantage, and in the third minute Adam Wixted tried to find Declan 'Fabio' O'Brien, but his ball was too deep.

Just before the quarter hour Gavin Brennan failed to make proper contact when Gavan Holohan angled a flag-kick into his path for the home side.

Minutes after that, Graham Kelly's 22m free took a glance off Wixted to deceive the Drogheda keeper, but flew narrowly wide of the far post.

And mid-way through the period, McGuinness had to be alert to claim Mick Daly's unmarked close-range header from a Gavan Holohan corner.

The Seagulls squandered another chance to take the lead seven minutes before the break, Niall Cooney's deep cross finding Jake Kelly, but he was unable to find the net from barely six metres.

Having edged the first half, Bray came close early in the second, but having got behind the defence, Graham Kelly's apparent threat came to nothing.

Akinade's effort from a pinpoint cross by Jake Kelly was poor and the striker failed to test Schlingermann when played through by David Cassidy.

Issy rises above
sparring partner Kierans

But just after the hour, Hanlon picked up Ciarán McGuigan's loose clearance on halfway and exchanged a one-two with Akinade before dribbling past Drogheda's stand-in captain to fire high to the roof of the Drogheda net.

Bray pressed in search of a second, but it was Drogheda manager Damien Richardson whose decision to introduce Andrews that led to the equaliser, the defender playing an unexpected role as a striker and almost immediately meeting Daire Doyle's right wing cross to poke the ball past McGuinness.

What had been a tetchy encounter then degenerated into a battle, and Bray were reduced to ten when referee Padraigh Sutton ruled that Akinade's elbow had been deliberately deployed against Kierans.

As cards were flourished with increasing regularity, O'Connor's challenge on the Drogheda goalscorer was clearly high and late, giving the official little choice but to reach for his back pocket.

Andrews himself was one of three home players cautioned in the remaining minutes, and Bray skipper Dave Webster also saw yellow before the final whistle.

A valuable point, but the loss of Akinade for the match against Derry on Tuesday - and possibly more - may be more damaging in the end.

Compiled by Mícheál Ó hUanacháin

Bray Wanderers: 32 Stephen McGuinness; 12 Niall Cooney, 2 David Webster (c), 4 Adam Mitchell, 15 Shane O'Connor; 9 Ismahil Akinade, 8 David Cassidy, 24 Graham Kelly, 16 Dean Zambra, 11 Adam Hanlon; 10 Jake Kelly
Subs: 1 Gavin Sheridan (gk), 6 Eric McGill, 7 Shane O'Neill, 19 David Scully (for J Kelly 82), 20 Philip Hughes, 22 Robert Maloney, 23 Gareth McDonagh
Drogheda United: 16 Micheál Schlingermann; 18 Daire Doyle, 5 Alan McNally, 12 Ciarán McGuigan (c), 24 Roy Kierans; 27 Adam Wixted, 2 Michael Daly, 8 Gavan Holohan, 13 Stephen Maher, 11 Gavin Brennan; 19 Declan O'Brien
Subs: 4 Paul Andrews (for Wixted 73), 14 Carl Walshe (for Maher 66), 20 Dominic Mahon, 21 Fionn Reilly, 22 Ciaran O'Connor, 40 Dylan Connolly (gk), 50 Dale Harding
Referee: Padraigh Sutton