Wanderers' International players

Striker Eamon Zayed became the first player from Bray Wanderers to earn an Irish Under-21 cap when he lined out against Poland in a 5-1 away win in Gdansk last month. Eamon is still an Irish Under-20 international who made his debut at that level last January against South Korea in a pre-World Youth Cup tournament, and followed up with two goals against UAE two days later in a 3-2 win for Ireland. He earned his third cap at that level earlier this month in the 3-0 win over the Czech Republic at Dalymount Park. Eamon will be hopeful of making the re-arranged world youth cup finals later this year in November & December.

The closest any Bray player came to an Under-21 cap previously were Tommy McDermott against Belgium in September 1986 and Jason Byrne against Yugoslavia in November 1998. Both were on the substitutes' bench for the under-21s, without making an appearance.

Bray Wanderers International Players

Year Level Player Caps
1949 Junior Mick Deveney 1
1955 Junior Tommy Carey 1
1956 Junior Shay Ryan 1
1956 Junior Brendan Carroll 1
1956 Junior Jim Carroll 1
1962 Junior Paddy Montgomery 1
1995 Student Gavin Teehan 5
2003 Under-20 Eamon Zayed 4
2003 Under-19 John Flood 5
2003 Under-21 Eamon Zayed 1

In the 1950s Bray were well represented at junior international level. In 1956, three Bray players lined out against Scotland at Den’s Park in Dundee in Ireland’s 2-1 defeat.

Goalkeeper Shay Ryan was joined by Brendan and Jim Carroll with Jim scoring the Ireland goal that afternoon. These was the only caps earned by the trio, as Bray Wanderers moved up to Leinster senior level shortly afterwards which made the players ineligible at junior level for Ireland.

Gavin Teehan captained Ireland in the World Student Games in August 1995 in Japan. Gavin scored in the opening game in a 1-1 draw against Uruguay and played in five of the six games, missing the final game after fracturing his cheek bone in the 1-0 win over Canada.

Bray Wanderers Representative Honours

Year Level Player Apps
1995 Reserve Div Kieran O’Brien 1
1996 Div 1 Semi Pro Pat Trehy 1
1996 Div 1 Semi Pro Gavin Teehan 1
1996 Div 1 Semi Pro Derek O’Neill 1
1996 Div 1 Semi Pro Kieran O’Brien 1
1996 Div 1 Semi Pro Robert Coyle 1
1996 Div 1 Semi Pro Martin Nugent 1
1996 Under 21 Jody Lynch 1
1996 LOI Reps Kieran O’Brien 5
1996 Inter League John Walsh 1
2002 Inter League Jason Byrne 3
2002 Inter League Jody Lynch 3

Bray Wanderers players have represented the National League at various levels in the past eight years. In 1996 the First Division of the National League played the England semi-professional team at Kidderminister. Pat Devlin was manager that evening, and included six players from Bray Wanderers who were runaway leaders of the First Division at the time. The Irish side were defeated 4-0 on the evening.

Kieran O’Brien toured the USA in 1996 with the Eircom league side and played in all three games of the tour, which included two games against the USA Olympic team.

Three players in the past have played for Bray Wanderers and then gone on to win senior international caps for the Republic of Ireland.

Goalkeeper Alan Kelly played for Bray Wanderers in the Leinster senior league between 1954 to 1957 before joining Drumcondra. After Drums Alan moved to England to Preston North End. Alan won a total of 47 senior international caps between 1956 and 1973.

Andy McEvoy won 17 senior caps between 1961 to 1967 as a Blackburn Rovers player. Andy joined Blackburn in 1956 from Bray Wanderers.

Striker Brendan Carroll played for Bray Wanderers in the early 1940s before joining Bohemians for a short spell and eventually moving on to Shelbourne in 1947. While with Shelbourne Brendan earned two senior international caps in 1949 against Belgium & Finland.

Michael Duffy

Published in Seagull Scene, September 2003