Premier

Carlisle Grounds
19 May 2017

Bray dropped not alone points but position tonight with a second League defeat to Bohemians.

And in the light of the first half play in particular, and the onslaught reported in the second, in a match in which the home side gained a double figure advantage over the visitors in corners, but failed to capitalise, they not only might have won it, they should have won.

The game was hardly a minute old when the Seagulls were on the attack, and they spent the bulk of the opening period besieging Shane Supple's goal.

Four minutes in, skipper Conor Kenna met Bray's third corner of the match at the back post but couldn't control it adequately and it sailed up and over.

A minute later, a free kick was sent long for Kevin Lynch to chase. He kept it in play and threaded a pass for Connolly who tried to find the far post but Supple managed in fine fashion to turn it around the post.

If Wanderers settled back a little then, it may have been in consequence of the absence of Gary McCabe, who was serving a suspension.

The Gypsies' first significant intervention came twenty minutes in when Oscar Brennan managed a shot following their first corner, only to find Peter Cherrie's foot in the way.

But a minute later it was Aaron Greene who broke through and gained a little space to fire a thundering shot that Supple did well to turn away.

Back to Kevin Lynch on corner duty again for the Seagulls, his flag-kick partially cleared but Connolly able to return it to the danger area where Kenna nodded it back to Lynch for an easy headed score.

But any sense of comfort was wiped out within minutes when Keith Ward's cross found Dinny Corcoran, who controlled on his chest and looped a curling shot beyond Cherrie off the post.

For all that, Bray continued to dominate, despite a near-miss by Georgie Poynton which found the side-netting, until the final minute before the break when former Bray man Paddy Kavanagh played Ward in down the left.

Cherrie went for the intervention and Ward went to ground in a manner that sought a spot kick. But Dinny Corcoran didn't wait to find out if Referee Jim McKell felt that way, taking the loose ball and putting it beyond the line.

Bray needed to respond quickly after the interval, but instead first blood flowed to Bohemians when Ward's free kick fed Ian Morris who miskicked. The ball, however, rolled to Dan Byrne who was able to find the net, but Michelle O'Neill's flag put an abrupt end to any celebration.

The home side continued to rack up the corners, with as little result as before, though Jason Marks and Karl Moore both had shots on target, Supple dealing capably with them.

Tempers were getting a little frayed, and coming up to a quarter of an hour to go Lynch's powerful shot brought a good reaction save by Supple at the cost of yet another corner, this one giving Clancy a chance to double his tally, but his shot was blocked by the defence.

Then, with substitute Ger Pender joining Greene up front to strengthen the attack, Clancy has naother attempt, a free that flies too close to Supple.

The run of play nearly got upset again with Lorcan Fitzgerald caught but the ball rolled through for Ward who fired to the bottom corner but O'Neill's flag is up again, to the dismay of the visiting support.

The final minutes of normal time saw further attacks by the Seagulls, Keith Buckley chipping a cross into the centre for Pender to glance goalwards, but it slipped just wide.

And in the last minute, a back-heel by Anto Flood put Greene through, but Supple somehow managed to deflect it behind.

Compiled by Mícheál Ó hUanacháin

Bray Wanderers: 1 Peter Cherrie; 6 Keith Buckley, 4 Conor Kenna (c), 21 Tim Clancy , 21 Kevin Lynch; 8 John Sullivan , 7 Ryan Brennan; 23 Jason Marks, 10 Karl Moore, 16 Dylan Connolly; 9 Aaron Greene
Subs: 5 Derek Foran, 12 Conor Earley, 15 Alan Kehoe (for Lynch 85), 17 Gerald Pender (for Moore 74), 20 Anthony Flood (for Marks 60) , 24 Ryan Robinson, 93 Lee Steacy (gk)
Bohemians: 1 Shane Supple; 2 Derek Pender (c), 6 Daniel Byrne, 5 Rob Cornwall, 18 Ian Morris; 16 Fuad Sule ; 21 George Poynton , 15 Oscar Brennan, 10 Keith Ward , 14 Patrick Kavanagh; 9 Dinny Corcoran
Subs: 3 Lorcan Fitzgerald (for Poynton 70), 8 Philip Gannon (for Ward 85), 11 Kaleem Simon, 25 Greg Murray (gk), 26 Dylan Hayes (for Sule 92+), 27 Stephen Nolan, 29 Jamie Hamilton
Referee: Jim McKell