Dr Tony O'Neill Trophy

Carlisle Grounds
11 June 2005

The Tony O'Neill U-21 league finally kicked off in lovely June sunshine in the Carlisle, after possibly the longest pre-season campaign in football history. John Finnegan was fielding nearly his strongest starting XI, although Ryan Davis and Willie Tyrrell were injured and Keith Kelch (dismissed in the Shield at Sligo) suspended.

It was obvious from the get-go that Trinity were not at the same stage of preparedness, though not lacking effort. Paul O'Reilly and Peter McGee clamped vice-like jaws on central midfield from the first tackles and immediately established a platform for Maurice Dunne and Ross Zambra on the wings, thus ensuring plenty of ground ball to the grateful strikers, the tricky Darren Lacey and a rejuvenated Barry McGrory. McGrory, in particular, was like a fox in a henhouse, all pace, power and menace.

On 6 minutes, a great tackle by Ross Zambra inside his own half led to him releasing McGrory down the inside-left channel and the first team panelist streaked fully 35 yards past three would-be tackles and to the edge of the box. As the DU keeper advanced, McGrory shot firmly across him to the bottom right corner.

Fired by this, Bray continued the assault. The pony-tailed TCD custodian was kept busy dealing with further efforts from McGrory (relishing an amount of ball to feet and from crosses that he had not recently seen), Lacey and Dunne. McGrory rolled a beauty in front of Peter McGee after 17, but his blockbuster was narrowly wide.

Halfway through the first half, following good work by full-back Ronan Ivory, Dunne and McGee, McGrory set the DU defence on the wrong foot with a stepover and Paul O'Reilly followed up to shoot low into the left corner from 20 yards.

Trinity desperately upped their effort until half time but much good work by Michael Roche, aided by Niall Donnelly and full-backs Ronan Ivory and Willie Murphy, the whole being covered by the McGee/ O'Reilly mantrap, ensured that very impressive and startlingly vocal debutant keeper Pat Hannigan had only one cross-shot , the odd interception and a few backpasses (incuding a rather short one from Donnelly) to deal with, while Bray, notably Dunne and Lacey, continued to threaten on the break.

After the oranges, we assumed that DU would come out loaded for bear but all the action in the early part of the second half centred on the heroic Trinity keeper. After a stunning triple save from Zambra, McGrory and Roche, he produced a double from the first-named duo and several good blocks and catches. The ball, however, kept coming back at him and the pressure told on 56 when McGrory followed a save out from his own effort before turning and lashing it high into the net.

This effectively ended the contested phase of the match. Both strikers were withdrawn after the hour and were replaced by new signing Wayne Byrne (from St Josephs) and Lloyd Colfer. While not having McGrory and Lacey's blistering pace, these two presented a different type of threat. Byrne is very tall and good in the air and Colfer is a tricky customer.

Most of the second half Bray threat was coming from the former Joeys' teammates, Murphy and Zambra, down the left, but the fourth goal came from a lovely flowing move down the right involving Ivory, Roche, McGee and Dunne whose lifted cross into the box was expertly volleyed home over his shoulder from 8 yards by Colfer.

Dunne was replaced by lively debutant Stephen Roche while Donnelly and Hannigan departed to be replaced by Brian Gartland and Graham McNamee.

There was still time for Colfer to win a penalty after good approach play by O'Reilly and Stephen Roche. Captain Michael Roche grabbed the job and made no mistake.

There will be harder challenges to come but the football was fine and flowing and you can only deal with what's placed in front of you. This young Bray side dealt with it admirably and provided entertainment to boot.

[pics & text rmg]

Bray Wanderers: 1 Pat Hannigan; 2 Ronan Ivory, 4 Michael Roche (c), 5 Niall Donnelly, 3 Willie Tyrrell; 7 Maurice Dunne, 6 Paul O'Reilly, 8 Peter McGee, 11 Ross Zambra; 9 Barry McGrory, 10 Darren Lacey
Subs: 12 Lloyd Colfer (for McGrory 60), 14 Brian Gartland (for Donnelly 72), 15 Wayne Byrne (for Lacey 60), 16 Graham McNamee (for Hannigan 80), 17 Stephen Roche (for Dunne 70)