Bray Wanderers 0 Cork City 0
Carlisle Grounds, First Division, 30 April 2021
An injury time goal line clearance by Cork’s Ronan Hurley denied Bray Wanderers a first league victory of the season.
Wanderers’ injury crisis gets worse week by week with Dylan Barnett ruled out of this game after suffering an eye injury in last weeks game away to Cobh Ramblers. Ryan Graydon missed out through suspension while Darren Craven, Steven Kinsella, Sean Callan, Darragh Lynch and Charlie Gallagher were also all ruled out. Dean O’Shea and Cian Maher both started for the first time this season. Under 19 players Ross O’Brien and Jack Hughes were drafted onto the substitutes bench.
The game started at a frantic pace with chances at both ends. From a shot corner on three minutes Brandon Kavanagh fired narrowly wide. A minute later, at the other end, Jack Walsh disposed Andrew Quinn in the area but shot wide. Wanderers almost took the lead on nine minutes. Brandon Kavanagh’s shot was deflected onto the post and McNulty then saved a follow up shot from Lovic which went out for a corner.
Joe Doyle got in on the left on the quarter hour but shot straight at McNulty. Aaron Barry got in at the back post to head a Brandon Kavanagh free kick narrowly wide on 24 minutes. Cian Maher then shot wide on 38 minutes after been set up by Mark Byrne.
Despite dominating the possession Bray were unable to break down the tight Cork defence. Jack Walsh headed just over for Cork from a Cian Bargary cross on 72 minutes. Mark Byrne volley over the bar with ten minutes remaining. Wanderers almost snatched the winner two minutes into added time. Gary Shaw got in on the left and fired past McNulty, but Hurley was on hand to save the day for Cork.
Bray Wanderers: 1 Brian Maher; 8 Mark Byrne, 12 Dean O’Shea, 4 Andrew Quinn, 5 Aaron Barry; 6 Conor Clifford, 14 Richie O’Farrell, 11 Brandon Kavanagh; 17 Luka Lovic, 9 Joe Doyle, 24 Cian Maher
Substitutes; 25 Kian Clarke (Gk), 10 Gary Shaw (for Maher, 55), 23 Glen Hollywood, 26 Ross O’Brien, 27 Jack Hughes, 30 Jack Ross (gk)
Booked: Barry (20)
Cork City: 1 Mark McNulty, 3 Ronan Hurley, 8 Cian Coleman, 11 Cian Bargary, 24 Cian Murphy, 25 Gorgon Walker, 27 Jack Walsh, 30 Jack Baxter, 16 Alec Byrne, 17 Darragh Crowley, 28 Jonas Hakkinen,
Subs: 13 David Harrington (gk), 9 Beineon O’Brien-Whitman (for Murphy, 80), 20 Paul Hunt, 2 Uniss Kargbo, 7 Dylan McGlade, 15 Dale Holland 9for Baxter, 90+2), 26 Jamie Wynne, 29 Issa Kargbo
Match Report: Michael Duffy
Pictures: Peter Minogue
