Premier

Oriel Park
30 Oct 2015

When Daryl Horgan netted for the home side eight minutes into the game the Seagulls went two down, as Ciarán Kilduff had opened the scoring three minutes earlier.

And all of a sudden a re-run of the massacre of May 4 at the same venue earlier this season seemed not only conceivable, but probable.

In truth, Bray's play looked not a little panicky for a time, but they settled and took the game to the break without conceding further.

Their offensive capabilities were limited, though, with Chris Lyons as a lone striker in front of the tall Dundalk back four.

Unusually, Mick Cooke opted for a brace of half-time substitutions, which did seem to intensify the visitors' attack capacity.

But eventually the League champions wore them down, and Richie Towell fired home from the spot with just over ten minutes left.

The Dundalk marksman wrapped up his season's tally, and a scoring record for his club, in the final minute of normal time.

After a crowded cordon d'honneur for the 2015 Champions, the teams squared off for their final action in the League this year. Rain was threatening and would be bucketing down before the break, making the ground staff's work with the pre-match sprinklers a bit redundant.

For all the home side's later dominance, Bray had the first half-chance, Ryan McEvoy shooting well wide after a spell of hotly contested action in the final third.

But the Lilywhites took the first opportunity that presented to get on the scoresheet. Gary Rogers spotted Darren Meenan in space way up field and sent his goal-kick that way, finding the wide man who raced inwards and squared for the waiting Kilduff to tap in.

And there was little time for Bray to reorganise before Ronan Finn slipped the ball between Niall Cooney and Michael Barker, the former leaving it for Peter Cherrie to gather, and the goalie expecting the centre-half to clear. Into the gap came Horgan, and into to the net went the ball.

The hosts almost went three up within a minute when Meenan himself sent the ball through from a narrow angle, but it sailed past the target and curled out for a throw on the far side.

And despite the sporadic Bray pressure, McEvoy again trying to find support after pouncing on a Sean Gannon error, it was Dundalk who pressed for another with Meenan, Horgan, Finn and Towell appearing to take it in turns to test Cherrie, who stood up well to the task.

A crossfield ball found Meenan who cut back for Finn who was unprepared, his hasty effort landing in the Bray keeper's arms.

And on the right, Horgan pounced on a rebound and eventually crossed for Meenan in the centre, the latter's effort flying wide of the goal.

Midway through the first period, Graham Kelly tried his luck, but failed to keep his shot on target.

Stephen Kenny withdrew the Dundalk skipper, Stephen O'Donnell, who didn't appear to be injured.

And for the next twenty minutes, the Bray defence was in almost constant action, no fewer than five corners (their Achilles heel in the May encounter) failing to increase the home side's advantage.

With only minutes to go before they could take a breather, Cherrie blocked a close-range ffort with his feet, leaving Meenan and Kilduff undecided as to who would try again.

And the half ended with another brace of flag-kicks for Bray to defend.

The home side started the second half as they had the first, launching a series of intense attacks on the Bray goal, but this time without reward.

Kilduff was flagged offside, but Cherrie had his shot in hand in any case, and Horgan went close but over.

The Champions weren't flawless, and an ill-judged midfield attempt to switch play lost them possession and gave Bray a throw in a stron position, but they were unable to capitalise.

Midway through, the Seagulls came as aclose as they had all season to scoring agains these opponents when a short Cassidy free led to the Dundalk defence conceding a rare corner, Rogers punching away McEvoy's setpiece and fumbling his catch when it was returned to the area, a Brian Gartland line clearance needed to snuff out the attack.

Minutes later, Cherrie was on hand to claim when Dane Massey fired in a well-controlled free from 24m that curled and dipped well.

With less than twenty minutes to go, the marauding Hugh Douglas found a gap in the Dundalk defence but scuffed his shot giving Rogers enough time to gather.

Bray were looking as if they might actually make a breakthrough when substitute John Mountney was fouled in the area by Niall Cooney and Referee Paul McLaughlin pointed to the spot.

Once Towell had delivered, putting the Champions into the ranks of top Premier Division goal-scorers, there was little chance of any measurable recovery by the Wicklow side.

There was still work for Cherrie, who blocked with his feet again when Gartland looked like scoring.

And Adam Hanlon was muscled off the ball at the end of a fine run and in a scoring position.

A minute to go, Cherrie made a fine intervention to deny David McMillan, but he could do little to prevent Towell in the final play of the game, fed by Meenan who had recovered possession and crossed.

No time was added by the officials at the end of the match, and it was time for the celebrations to start in earnest.

Mícheál Ó hUanacháin

Bray Wanderers: 1 Peter Cherrie; 20 Hugh Douglas, 5 Alan McNally (c), 12 Niall Cooney,2 Michael Barker; 11 Adam Hanlon, 22 Luke Fitzpatrick, 24 Graham Kelly, 10 Ryan McEvoy, 9 Adam Wixted; 18 Chris Lyons
Subs: 4 Daniel O'Reilly, 7 David Scully (for Lyons 64), 8 David Cassidy (for Wixted H/T), 14 Luke Gallagher, 15 John Sullivan (for Fitzpatrick H/T), 23 Gareth McDonagh, 50 Seán Fogarty (gk)
DUNDALK: 1 Gary Rogers; 2 Sean Gannon, 3 Brian Gartland, 4 Andrew Boyle, 14 Dane Massey; 6 Stephen O'Donnell (c); 7 Daryl Horgan, 10 Ronan Finn, 17 Richie Towell, 21 Darren Meenan; 16 Ciarán Kilduff
Subs: 5 Chris Shields (for O'Donnell 24), 8 John Mountney (for Finn 61), 9 David McMillan (for Kilduff 71), 11 Kurtis Byrne, 12 Shane Grimes, 15 Paddy Barrett, 22 Gabriel Sava (gk)
Referee: Paul McLaughlin