First Division

Turners Cross
21 Oct 2022

It says something that the Bray squad were wholehearted in their guard of honour for the divisional champions before facing them as opponents in their final game of an unhappy season.

The form book didn't lie. It may have taken Cork over an hour to find their way to the Bray net, but they did it in style, a fine run up the left by former Seagull Dylan McGlade followed by an inch-perfect pass to Barry Coffey, who was well-placed to shoot to the back of Stephen McGuinness's net.

It was enough to seal a memorable night for the hosts, who would go on to receive their trophy after the final whistle, but both sides kept battling, and eventually the Rebels doubled their advantage when a quickly taken free deep in Cork territory found Ruairi Keating racing up the right, his pace defeating the Bray defence and his narrow angle shot passing McGuinness.

Longtime Cork keeper Mark McNulty, playing his final game for the club at the age of 42, had made way for Jimmy Corcoran midway through the first half, to rapturous applause.

And what team other than Cork could expect An Taoiseach to welcome the players as they walked up to receive their medals in the closing ceremony?

Bray Wanderers: 1 Stephen McGuinness; 19 Daniel O'Boyle, 5 Hugh Douglas (c) , 12 Jack Hudson, 7 Keith Dalton; 6 Conor Clifford; 15 Eoin Massey, 17 Josh McGlone, 26 Ben Feeney, 21 Conor Knight; 18 Zak O'Neill
Subs: 9 Evan Harte, 10 Kieran Waters (for Dalton 74), 16 Callum Thompson (for McGlone 74), 20 Ben Houton, 23 Conor McManus (for O'Boyle 86), 24 Darragh Lynch (for Massey 74), 32 Ugo Anny Nzekwue, 37 Colin Kelly, 35 Ben Clark (gk)
Cork City: 1 Mark McNulty; 14 Kevin O’Connor, 6 Ally Gilchrist, 28 Jonas Häkkinen; 4 Cian Coleman (c), 17 Darragh Crowley, 15 Matt Healy, 8 Aaron Bolger, 10 Barry Coffey ; 9 Ruairi Keating , 24 Cian Murphy
Subs: 7 Dylan McGlade (for O'Connor 61), 11 Cian Bargary, 19 Matt Srbely (for Crowley 79), 20 Jimmy Corcoran (gk), 22 James Doona, 25 Gordon Walker (for Healy 79), 27 Mark O'Mahony (for Murphy 61), 34 Franco Umeh Chibueze, 40 Louis Britton
Referee: Mark Moynihan