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AUL
05 Mar 2021

Barry and O'Farrell in support as McGuinness deals with Kavanagh's shot
Pics Peter Minogue

Kick-off goals can have a disproportionate effect on the ninety minutes that follow them, and Bray suffered from an early hangover tonight.

Within a minute of the opening whistle, a through ball from Keith Ward found Brad Rolt, whose shot was well stopped by Brian Maher - but Jack Moylan was on hand to bury the rebound low.

Fifteen minutes in, Brandon Kavanagh forced a fine save from former Bray netminder Stephen McGuinness from a free kick.

Following another Kavanagh free kick on the right, Gary Shaw’s header was deflected out for a corner on 20 minutes.

Five minutes later, Ward fired a free kick across the Bray goal which just missed the head of the onrushing Thomas Oluwa.

Just ahead of the half hour, Moylan had a chance to double his tally after strong build-up play with Ward, but this time he shot straight at Maher.

And five minutes before the break, Ryan Graydon had a grat opportunity when he found McGuinness off his line, but his lob went narrowly wide.

Richie O’Farrell fired a long-range effort over the bar three minutes into the second period, while Kavanagh shot straight at McGuinness minutes later.

Former Bohs man Graydon cut in from the right and made no mistake with a curling shot from the edge of the area shortly after.

His efforts, however, might have been cancelled out just after the hour as Thomas Oluwa went close to restoring Bohs' lead after dispossessing Luka Lovic and making a powerful run into the area, but he pulled his shot wide.

It was now a ding-dong battle. Kavanagh curled a shot in which McGuinness was forced to tip over on 63 minutes, and Graydon nearly added a second mid-way through the half, but his header from a Mark Byrne cross bounced wide.

A minute later, Bohs had the ball in the net but Seán Grehan’s header was given offside, and shortly after that Moylan went close once more but his effort was tipped away by the Bray keeper.

Lovic shot straight at McGuinness after being set up by Dylan Barnett.

Six minutes from time, though, the Gypsies finally made the breakthrough, Oluwa finishing well after good work from Dawson Devoy robbed the ball from Bray substitute Dean O'Shea.

In a final effort, Joe Doyle went on a good run down the right but fired straight at McGuinness.

With little enough between the teams, it was another encouraging performance from Gary Cronin's men.

The ball saves Shaw's head from Finnerty's studs

Bray: 1 Brian Maher; 2 Mark Byrne, 3 Dylan Barnett, 26 Dan Jones, 5 Aaron Barry (c); 28 Conor Clifford, 8 Richard O'Farrell, 7 Ryan Graydon , 20 Darren Craven, 23 Brandon Kavanagh, 10 Gary Shaw
Subs: 9 Joe Doyle (for Shaw 59), 16 Seán Callan (for Jones 80), 17 Luka Lovic (for O'Farrell 68), 19 Darragh Lynch (for Craven 68), 24 Dean O'Shea (for Barnett 80), 25 Kian Clarke (gk), 26 Glen Hollywood, Cian MaherBohemians: 25 Stephen McGuinness; 18 James Finnerty, 19 Tyreke Wilson, 24 Gavin O'Brien, 27 Sean Grehan, 23 Jack Moylan , 26 Ross Tierney, 28 Dawson Devoy, 17 Thomas Oluwa , 9 Brad Rolt, 10 Keith Ward
Subs: 1 Kian Moore (gk), 7 Aaron Doran, 14 Colin Conroy, 15 Derek Pender (for Finnerty 31), 16 Keith Buckley, 22 Jamie Mullins, 30 Robbie Mahon