League Cup

Carlisle Grounds
01 Apr 2019

Doing it the hard way is a polite way of describing the war of attrition that saw the Seagulls through to the next round of the EA Sports Cup.

From the opening whistle (sounded by Derek Tomney, in place of Paul Tuite), there was little doubt that neither side wanted to come second in the match.

Orhan Vojic was first to show, and in the first minute too. He also delivered Rovers' best chance of the opening period, mid way through, when he beat the home keeper to the all, only for Dylan Barnett to make a last-ditch clearance.

By that stage, both Dylan McGlade and Kilian Cantwell had also seen attacking action but without breaching the Hoops' defence.

And between then and the break it was the Joe Doyle show, drawing a brisk save from first-timer Leon Poehls in the Rovers net from a Philip Gannon feed after Luka Lovic had made the running. The striker couldn't keep his effort down in the final minutes, and his shot shortly after the resumption was wide.

With things getting tight, tension was rising, too, and Luke Nolan was lucky to avoid censure for a couple of no-nonsense challenges on Trevor Clarke.

Vojic came closest for the visitors when his close range shot was denied by the woodwork, and when Dylan Barnett's low free in the was claimed by Poehls, extra time was inevitable.

Both teams availed of the new regime that allowed them a fourth substitute in those circumstances.

Dylan Watts had the first significant opportunity of the added period, a long-range effort that comfortably missed Gabriel Sava's crossbar.

And in the final quarter hour, Richie Purdy saw his dangerous free kick deflected from the target, while Barnett brought Poehls into play again.

A threatening-looking free after Bray captain Hugh Douglas tangled with Brandon Kavanagh came to nothing.

And in the final action of any substance, McGlade's 22m effort screamed back from the Rovers bar, signalling the dreaded penalty shoot-out.

In reality, Bray should fear penalties rather less than most teams, as they have a fine record in them.

Once more tonight, luck and skill favoured them, with Poehls getting a touch to Lovic's penalty but failing to claim, Brandon Kavanagh hitting the woodwork and Sava blocking former Seagull Aaron Greene's effort.

Compiled by Mícheál Ó hUanacháin

Penalties

Shamrock Rovers shot first

BRAY WANDERERS	4-2	SHAMROCK ROVERS
Lovic		Bolger
R Purdy		B Kavanagh Missed
McGlade		Greene Saved
Barnett		Watts

Bray Wanderers: 1 Gabriel Sava; 22 Luke Nolan , 2 Hugh Douglas (c), 15 Darragh Gibbons, 3 Dylan Barnett; 8 Philip Gannon, 17 Luka Lovic , 4 Kilian Cantwell, 19 Brandon McCann ; 10 Dylan McGlade; 9 Joe Doyle
Subs: 5 Sean Heaney, 11 Derek Daly (for McCann 74), 12 Andrew McGovern, 14 Jake Ellis (for Doyle 95), 16 Adam Hayden (gk), 24 Richie Purdy (for Gannon 64), 25 Cian Maher (for Nolan 71)
Shamrock Rovers: 25 Leon Pohls; 3 Sam Bone, 4 Roberto Lopes (c), 11 Sean Kavanagh, 20 Trevor Clarke ; 10 Aaron McEneff, 7 Dylan Watts; 24 Dean Dillon, 11 Brandon Kavanagh, 17 Joel Coustrain; 9 Orhan Vojic
Subs: 1 Alan Mannus (gk), 2 James Furlong, 5 Lee Grace (for McEneff H/T), 6 Greg Bolger (for Bone 58) , 16 Darren Nugent, 22 Aaron Greene (for Lopes 106 inj), 26 Thomas Oluwa (for Dillon 81)
Referee: Derek Tomney