| Bray Wanderers | 0-1 | Athlone Town |
| Delaney 49 | ||
First Division
Carlisle Grounds
10 Sep 2021
Back-to-back league defeats has Bray Wanderers looking anxiously over their shoulders as Athlone Town narrowed the gap between the sides to five points with five games remaining. Wanderers currently occupy fifth place in the table, the final play off position with Athlone Town in sixth, just outside the play off positions.
Wanderers made five changes to the starting team from the one that lost to UCD last week. Brian Maher returned in goals after international duty while Dylan Barnett, Conor Clifford and Richie O’Farrell all returned after suspension. Sam Verdon also started. Kian Clarke, Ryan Graydon, Aaron Barry, Luka Lovic and Callum Thompson all dropped to the bench.
Wanderers had an early let off when Mark Byrne cleared a header from Scott Delany off the line in the fifth minute following an Athlone corner on the right. Bray responded with Brandon Kavanagh driving a shot straight at Schlingerman
Dylan Hand fired along range effort over the Bray crossbar on 14 minutes. Richie O’Farrell’s shot took a deflection and forced Schlingerman to back track and save.
The visitors took the lead four minutes into the second half when Scott Delaney headed home from a Kurtis Byrne corner on the right. Kavanagh forced Schlingermann to push his shot around the post for a corner.
James Doona forced Maher into a save at his near post. Eight minutes from time, Glen McCauley ran onto a through ball but hit his effort straight at Maher. Gary Shaw headed over from acorner in the final minute
Bray Wanderers: 1 Brian Maher; 8 Mark Byrne, 4 Andrew Quinn, 15 Daniel Jones, 3 Dylan Barnett; 6 Conor Clifford, 16 Darren Craven, 14 Richie O’Farrell, 28 Sam Verdon, 11 Brandon Kavanagh; 9 Joe Doyle
Subs: 5 Aaron Barry, 7 Ryan Graydon, 10 Gary Shaw, 17 Luka Lovic, 18 Seán Callan, 22 Steven Kinsella, 25 Kian Clarke (gk), 27 Callum Thompson.
Booked: Clifford (59)
Athlone Town: 16 Mícheál Schlingermann; 2 Aidan Friel, 6 Killian Cantwell, 14 James Doona, 5 Scott Delaney; 23 Tunmise Sobowale ; 18 Oisin Duffy, 10 Kurtis Byrne, 19 Brandon McCann, 21 Dylan Hand; 25 Glen McAuley
Subs: 4 Daniel McKenna, 7 Adam Wixted, 11 Stephen Meaney (for McAuley 90) , 13 David Brookes, 20 Tumelo Tlou, 21 Jack Reynolds, 24 Katlego Mashigo, 50 Tommy Holland (gk)
Booked: Sobowale (35), McAuley (90), Wixted (90+1)
Referee: David Keeler
Match report: Michael Duffy
Pictures: Peter Minogue
