Leinster Senior Cup

Carlisle Grounds
19 July 2010

Having been humiliated by the Students in their League meetings so far this season, Bray confounded the form book by beating them to the Leinster Senior Cup Final.

A superb triple strike by Shane O'Neill – two in the first half, one in the second – sealed the tie despite Robbie Creevy's goal for the visitors.

And even though the previous Friday's match between the sides ended in acrimony, there was little sign of that mood carrying over to the cup match.

As early as two minutes in, Billy Brennan was in action after John Mulroy's through ball found O'Neill, and Michael Leahy's tackle on the Bray striker forced a corner, with the visitors' keeper batting away Jake Kelly's flag-kick, and the second attack fizzling out across the face of his goal.

But five minutes later, it was the hosts' blushes that were spared when an overhead kick hit Brian Kane's bar, and a free-out averted the danger from the rebound, and minutes later Paul Corry wasn't too far away with a 30m free.

At the quarter hour, Corry shot again, this time straight to Kane, and Mulroy was just over with a speculative effort from distance, the same player hitting the side netting from the left two minutes later.

And the home side took the lead just half way through the first period following a Daire Doyle free just inside the UCD half, Danny O'Connor helping it into the danger area where Brennan failed to claim, Mulroy taking a touch to put it in O'Neill's path, and the last firing firmly to the bottom corner.

Kane was on the alert for a long-range Chris Mulhall free just after that, but the home side were on he attack again, O'Neill just missing to the right, and then rushing unmarked between two defenders for another Mulroy pass, this time from an Ian Tuohy feed out of defence, to shoot home without difficulty.

The Students might have got one back at the half-hour, Mulhall crossing a Corry free back in only for Greg Bolger to fire over.

Both sides had further chances before the break, Corry with another free easily claimed by Kane, Tuohy again finding Kelly, but the latter's cross well-cleared by Leahy, and O'Neill failing to control his shot with support available inside.

The loss of Mulroy to injury early in the second half could have been worrying, especiallyGraham Rusk going close, and Andy Boyle netting as the whistle went for a free out.

And sure enough, Creevy finally put the ball away legitimately, pouncing on a Bolger pass after a Corry corner wasn't adequately cleared.

But the visitors' fightback was shortlived, O'Neill finishing with some style after a long O'Connor free awarded against the Students for off-sidewas steered towards the striker by substitute Robbie Doyle.

There were few further attacks by the hosts, who had to weather a stiff final quarter, Kane taking well from Dwayne Wilson and Adam Mitchell eventually clearing after a Bolger free was sent back goalwards by Boyle.

Creevy hit Kane's crossbar following a Mulhall corner, and Bolger headed the rebound over, while Kane did well to claim at the feet of Ciaran Kilduff with Creevy also on the loose for a Mulhall cross.

But there was no magic recovery for UCD, and Bray march on to their first senior cup final since 1999.

Mícheál Ó hUanacháin

Bray Wanderers: 1 Brian Kane; 2 Daire Doyle (c), 4 Adam Mitchell, 5 David Webster, 3 Jake Kelly; 7 James Kavanagh, 6 Danny O'Connor, 8 Graham Kelly, 11 Ian Tuohy; 10 John Mulroy; 9 Shane O'Neill
Subs: 12 Chris Shields, 14 Dean Zambra, 15 Nicholas Byrne, 16 Dane Massey (for Kavanagh H/T), 17 Adam O'Connor (for O'Neill 89), 18 Shane O'Connor, 19 Robert Doyle (for Mulroy 61)
UCD: 1 Billy Brennan (c); 2 Michael Kelly, 5 Michael Leahy, 4 Andy Boyle, 3 Ciaran Nangle; 10 Chris Mulhall, 8 Robbie Creevy, 7 Paul Corry, 6 Greg Bolger, 11 Stephen Roche; 9 Graham Rusk
Subs: 12 Evan McMillan, 13 Gareth Matthews, 14 Paul O'Conor, 15 Keith Ward, 16 Gerard Barron (gk), 17 Ciaran Kilduff (for Corry 78), 18 Dwayne Wilson (for Roche 78)
Referee: Rob Rogers