Bray Wanderers 1 Cabinteely FC 1
Carlisle Grounds, First Division, 26 April 2019
Bray Wanderers and Cabinteely FC served up an entertaining match played in wet and windy conditions in the first ever league meeting of the sides in the Carlisle grounds.
Wanderers made one change to the starting line up from the team that defeated Drogheda United the week previous. Philip Gannon returned from injury to replace Richard Purdy.
The visitors started better without creating any clear-cut chances. Wanderers came more into the game and took the lead on 21 minutes. Derek Daly broke into the visitor’s box on the left side and evaded a couple of challenges before crossing low to Jake Ellis who tapped home for his first goal of the season.
Four minutes before the break, Ellis got in on a one on one with McGuinness, but the ex-Wanderers keeper saved brilliantly. Cabinteely equalised two minutes into the second half. Keith Dalton crossed from the right and Vilius Labutis duly fired home. Robert Manley, the first division’s top scorer was kept quite most of the evening by Douglas and Gibbons, but he forced Sava into a great save on 54 minutes. Manley chested down a cross from Waters and fired a shot which Sava managed to keep it out.
Dylan McGlade fired inches wide on the hour mark after a good run. Wanderers were awarded a penalty on 68 minutes after Dean O’Halloran broke free in the area and was bundled over. Referee, Eoghan O’Shea allowed the advantage as O’Halloran tried to stay on his feet but awarded the penalty when no advantage occurred. Much to the anger of Gary Cronin and the Bray fans, O’Shea failed to issue a card to the Cabinteely defender who was last man.
Dylan McGlade’s penalty kick was brilliantly saved by McGuinness and Philip Gannon put the rebound over the top of the crossbar. Wanderers almost snatched victory twice in the closing minutes. Dylan Barnett’s cross from the left was deflected inches over the bar by a Cabinteely defender. From the resulting corner, Hugh Douglas’ header at the back post bounced off the cross bar.
Bray Wanderers: 1 Gabriel Sava; 15 Darragh Gibbons, 2 Hugh Douglas, 3 Dylan Barnett, 4 Killian Cantwell, 6 Paul Keegan, 7 Dean O’Halloran, 8 Philip Gannon, 10 Dylan McGlade, 11 Derek Daly, 14 Jake Ellis. Subs: 5 Sean Heaney, 12 Andrew McGovern, 16 Adam Hayden (gk), 17 Luka Lovic, 22 Luke Nolan (for Daly 78), 24 Richie Purdy (for Ellis 57), 25 Cian Maher.
Cabinteely: 1 Stephen McGuinness; 2 Daniel Blackbyrne, 4 Jack Tuite, 5 Conor Keeley, 6 Jack Watson, 7 Keith Dalton, 8 Robert Manley, 10 Kieran Marty Waters, 16 Vilius Labutis, Zak O’Neill, 36 Jonathan Carlin.
Subs: 3 Sean Hurley, 9 Luke Clucas (for Carlin H/T), 14 Shane Barnes, 15 Eoin Massey (for Watson 83), 20 Jack Hudson (for Blackbyrne 64), 22 Sean Fitzpatrick, 25 Peter Quinlan (gk)
Referee: Eoghan O’Shea
Attendance: 639
Match Report: Michael Duffy