Bray Wanderers 1 Shamrock Rovers II, 0
Carlisle Grounds, First Division, 18 August 2020
Bray Wanderers extended their current unbeaten home league run to eight games thanks to Ryan Graydon’s spectacular over-head kick with defeated Shamrock Rovers II at the Carlisle Grounds.
This was Wanderers third home league game this season without conceding a goal. Wanderers have won six and drawn two of their last eight home league games.
Wanderers made two changes to the starting team from the team that defeated UCD on Friday evening. Ryan Graydon and Derek Daly started in place of Jack Watson and Joe Doyle.
Darragh Lynch tested Pohls on the quarter hour when his header from a Callum Thompson cross forced the keeper to push the ball out for a corner. Five minutes later, Wanderers took the lead when Ryan Graydons over-head kick took a slight deflection to beat the Rovers keeper. This was Ryan’s first goal for Wanderers. John Ross Wilson did well down the right in the 35th minute but his cross was fired well over by Sean McEvoy.
Rovers went close four minutes before the break when Sean Brennan’s long range shot forced Maher into a good save. On the stroke of half time Darragh Lynch went close from a tight angle.
Six minutes into the second half, Derek Daly had a great chance but put it wide following a great cross from Thompson. Aaron Bolger went close for Rovers before a counterattack from Bray saw Daly head over from another Thompson cross. Sean McEvoy fired over on 64 minutes
Rovers went close to an equaliser on 77 minutes, but Aaron Barry’s goal line clearance denied Brandon Kavanagh.
Bray Wanderers: 25 Brian Maher, 2 John Ross Wilson, 3 Dylan Barnett, 4 Killian Cantwell, 5 Aaron Barry, 7 Ryan Graydon, 11 Derek Daly, 8 Callum Thompson, 17 Luka Lovic, 18 Sean McEvoy, 19 Darragh Lynch. Substitutes; 1 Adam Hayden (Gk), 6 Paul Keegan (for Thompson, 80), 9 Joe Doyle (for Lynch, 69), 10 Gary Shaw 9for Daly, 69), 12 Jack Watson, 14 Tristan Noack-Hofmann, 27 Marlon Marishta.
Shamrock Rovers II: 25 Leon Pohls; 45 Max Murphy, 14 Alex Dunne, 18 Sean Callan; 35 Jordan Tallon, 44 John Ryan, 27 Brandon Kavanagh, 31 Sean Brennan, 17 Aaron Bolger; 26 Thomas Oluwa, 37 Darragh Nugent.
Subs: 34 Adam Wells (for Ryan, 58), 47 Dean McMenamy (for Bolger, 58), 75 Kevin Zeffii (for Oluwa, 73), 39 Dylan Duffy (for Kavanagh, 86), 30 Kian Clarke (Gk), 42 Sinclair Armstrong, 33 Peter Adigun.
Match Report: Michael Duffy
Pictures: Peter Minogue