Dr Tony O'Neill Trophy

Carlisle Grounds
22 October 2006

Bray's young guns delivered what has so often this season been a necessary pick-me-up to the Seaside faithful with a brace of goals to defeat League leaders UCD.

An early goal in each half left the Students with a mountain to climb, but they worked hard, and Bray had to defend stubbornly at the end after Francis Moran pulled one back for the visitors just inside the hour.

The game was less than four minutes old when a series of exchanges between Darren Lacey and Ross Zambra from a quick throw-in led to a pinpoint cross by the latter which found David O'Sullivan well-placed to head home past Karl Coleman.

Towards the end of the first period, Coleman saved from Lacey almost by accident when the striker seemed certain to double the home advantage, but UCD ended on the attack, with Graham McNamee diving bravely at the feet of the onrushing Warren Forsyth.

Wayne Byrne, in his new role of centre-half, had to risk a yellow card (which Rhona Daly duly delivered) with a late tackle to deny Moran at the expense of a corner, and McNamee did well to turn the deadball out for another, but this time Greg Bolger's effort was poor and easily cleared.

Robbie Manley earned himself a free in a threatening position, and Byrne's low shot from the half-clearance was neatly turned around the post by Coleman.

Manley's corner looked to have gone behind from a defender, but the goalkick was awarded.

Bray came out in attacking mood after the break, and got their reward when a poor clearance by Sean Harding rebounded from Manley's chest, and he followed it around UCD skipper Kieron Harte to craft a low shot to the far corner of the net.

But Moran struck when Adam Firych failed to cover him after Timmy Purcell slipped by Willie Murphy in the righthand corner, and crossed to give the striker an easy shot.

Encouraged by the strike, the Students redoubled their efforts but couldn't find the target even when they occasionally got behind the Bray defence.

O'Sullivan headed over, and Zambra's snap shot was well taken by Coleman, while at the other end Moran twice missed the target and Forsyth's looping shot never seriously troubled McNamee.

As the clock wound down, Zambra had to be alert to head clear at the bar after the Bray keeper had blocked a shot, and Killian Gallagher was disappointed to see his shot high and wide.

UCD suffered from several off-side decisions arising from over-enthusiasm, to the irritation of their dugout, and O'Sullivan was denied a late goal for the same reason.

Purcell hit the side-netting from a Moran cross, and Moran again shot past the posts, before Harte received a caution for a late tackle in circumstances which left the Bray staff fuming that referee Rhona Daly had declined to to allow the home side to play the advantage.

It was important, because goal difference could come into play to decide the top two placings now, though Bray are already certain of their spot in the knock-out stages.

Mícheál Ó hUanacháin

Bray Wanderers: 1 Graham McNamee; 2 Ross Zambra, 5 Wayne Byrne, 4 Adam Firych, 3 Willie Murphy; 7 Lee Roche, 6 Sean Fitzgerald, 8 Niall Merriman, 11 Robbie Manley; 9 David O'Sullivan, 10 Darren Lacey
Subs: 12 Tomás Earls, 14 Keith Kelch, 15 Peter McGee, 16 Bernard Daniel (for Manley 74), 17 Stephen Roche (for L Roche 59)
UCD: 1 Karl Coleman; 2 Sean Harding, 5 Kieron Harte (c), 4 David Last, 3 Killian Gallagher; 7 Timmy Purcell, 8 Greg Bolger, 6 James O'Sullivan, 11 Gerard O'Callaghan; 9 Francis Moran, 10 Warren Forsyth
Subs: 12 Damien Kelly (for Harding 78), 13 Shane Flynn, 14 Eoin Ó Cinnéide, 15 Stephen Hurley (for O'Sullivan 54), 17 Michael Kelly
Referee: Rhona Daly