Premier

Carlisle Grounds
17 Oct 2014

Captains clash
Boyle races through Webster's leg to clear
pic Michael Tierney

Bray threw the title race open again with a remarkable draw in a wet and windy Carlisle Grounds, and ensured their own Premier status with the same point despite away wins for both bottom teams.

The Seagulls stunned Dundalk's large travelling support within seconds of the off when Dave Cassidy powered Peter Cherrie's parry past the keeper into the visitors' net.

And both netminders were responsible for keeping the scoreline unchanged for over an hour, until a Pat Hoban half-volley finally beat the young Bray guardian.

The Lilywhites were spared a three point loss in the final minutes of regulation time when Richie Towell turned defender to clear Jake Kelly's goalbound effort off the line behind his keeper.

Cork's defeat of Bohemians makes the final round of games one of the tightest in years, a single point all that separates both the top and bottom duos.

The sound of Dave McKeon's whistle had hardly died away before Dean Zambra was allowed to control Jake Kelly’s low cross from the right before turning and getting a shot away. His effort was blocked by Cherrie but the in-rushing Cassidy was first to react.

When Dundalk did manage to get some traction on a soggy pitch, they found Stephen McGuinness in inspired form.

Darren Meenan’s over-hit centre was pushed to safety by the Bray keeper as the visitors looked to test his handling at every opportunity.

Just after the half-hour, Jake Kelly tried to curl a 22m free over the wall but couldn't keep the trajectory low enough.

Daryl Horgan had the visitors' first effort of note when he took possession from a quick throw in the 33rd minute and beat the defence to create an opening, but 19-year-old McGuinness denied him with a fine save.

Minutes later, Michael Barker played the ball to the edge of the Dundalk area where Jake Kelly controlled well before playing back to Dave Scully. Scully's shot was heading for the top corner but Cherrie stretched to tip it over for a corner.

The conditions seemed enough to affect the outcome at times. On 39 minutes a Meenan free from deep out on the right was diverted by the wind towards the Bray goal but to the relief of the surprised keeper it skipped wide of the upright.

Dundalk had further chances before the break: Meenan set up Richie Towell who was in space in the area but could only fire over the bar.

On the stroke of 45 minutes, Hoban's header put Meenan through, and he would have scored but McGuinness was off his line very quickly to narrow the angle and make a low save.

And the Bray keeper had to be alert to defend a wayward Scully header, following another Meenan free.

Just as they did in the first half, the home side very nearly scored within seconds of the re-start. Cassidy tried his luck following a Brian Gartland error, but the ball ended bobbling wide.

The Seagulls had two shots blocked in quick succession following a corner kick, with a hint of hands involved, and Cherrie presented an opportunity seven minutes in with an ill-hit clearance that went straight to Jake Kelly, but the Bray man fresh-aired it.

Shortly afterwards Horgan won the ball back and played it to Dane Massey whose cross found Hoban in the area but the striker's header skimmed over the bar.

After Dundalk failed to clear a corner properly on the hour, Graham Kelly’s cross picked out his namesake Jake, who couldn't keep his header from six metres down and it rebounded off the bar.

There seemed little danger when Meenan picked the ball up on the right four minutes later. His cross held up in the wind and so found Hoban well-placed to give McGuinness no chance.

But Bray still seemed the likelier side to end ahead. After Cherrie had failed to deal with a corner, a goalmouth scramble ensued but Jake Kelly’s effort was hacked clear.

With a quarter of an hour remaining, former Seagull Brian Gartland made a timely intervention to foil another Bray attack.

And the home side finished the game the stronger, nearly restoring their lead in the 79th minute.

Stephen O' Donnell's clearance only went as far as Graham Kelly. His shot was deflected wickedly by Andy Boyle into the side netting.

A low Meenan corner evaded everyone to reach Gartland at the back post, but he couldn't control enough to get a shot away.

Three minutes before the end of regulation time, a Graham Kelly corner was spilled by Cherrie, who despite his acrobatics wasn't having the greatest of nights, but somehow his colleagues managed to scramble it clear.

And by that stage the home side were happy to see out the match and claim the point.

Compiled by Mícheál Ó hUanacháin

Bray Wanderers: 32 Stephen McGuinness; 6 Eric McGill, 12 Niall Cooney, 2 David Webster (c), 14 Michael Barker; 19 David Scully, 16 Dean Zambra, 24 Graham Kelly, 11 Adam Hanlon; 8 David Cassidy, 10 Jake Kelly
Subs: 1 Gavin Sheridan (gk), 4 Eoin Rossi, 13 Ryan Swan, 15 Shane O'Connor, 20 Philip Hughes (for J Kelly 88), 22 Robert Maloney, 23 Gareth McDonagh
Dundalk: 1 Peter Cherrie; 2 Sean Gannon, 3 Brian Gartland, 4 Andrew Boyle (c), 14 Dane Massey; 7 Daryl Horgan, 5 Christopher Shields, 17 Richard Towell; 21 Darren Meenan, 9 Patrick Hoban, 11 Kurtis Byrne
Subs: 6 Stephen O'Donnell (for Gannon 62), 8 John Mountney (for K Byrne H/T), 12 Ruaidhri Higgins, 15 Mark Griffin, 18 Mark Rossiter, 20 Donal McDermott (for Shields 88), 22 Gabriel Sava (gk)
Referee: Dave McKeon