Drogheda United 1 Bray Wanderers 1
United Park, Friendly, 9 February 2018
Bray Wanderers concluded their pre season fixtures with a draw away to Drogheda United. Gary McCabe’s free kick on 15 minutes hit the top of the Drogheda crossbar with Skinner beaten. McCabe had the ball in the Drogheda net on 25 minutes, but his effort was ruled out for handball in the lead up to his finish.
Wanderers took the lead on 28 minutes. Aaron Greene held up the ball and passed to new signing Ronan Coughlan who slotted low past Skinner.
On 40 minutes, Dylan Hayes fired just over with a snap shot after a cross from the right by Dan McKenna. Drogheda almost equalised on the stroke of half time. Lee Duffy cut in from the right and forced Moran into a great save.
On 50 minutes, Kevin Lynch went on a run down the left and crossed to Daniel Kelly at the back post but the winger fired over the bar. Drogheda equalised on 76 minutes when Bray failed to clear their lines and Meaney shot home from the edge of the area. Jake Ellis had a chance for Wanderers on 83 minutes but Ekanem denied him with a saving tackle.
Five minutes from time, McCaffrey headed just over from a Duffy cross on the right as Drogheda put the visitors under pressure late in the game.
Drogheda United: 1 Paul Skinner, 2 Colm Deasy, 3 Conor Kane, 17 Ciaran Kelly, 5 Kevin Farragher, 6 Luke Gallagher, 4 Jake Hyland, 8 Sean Brennan, 21 Lee Duffy, 9 Chris Lyons, 14 Mark Doyle.
Subs: 22 Luca Gratzer (gk), 25 Llyod Buckley (for Deasy 64m), 18 Victor Ekanem (for Gallagher 64m), 24 Richard Purdy (for Doyle 64), 16 Luke Rossiter (for Hyland 78), 27 Kealan Dillon (for Brennan 78), 15 Stephen Meaney (for Lyons 70), 7 James Carroll, 10 Gareth McCaffrey (for Farragher 64m), 20 Jordan Kelly.
Bray Wanderers: 1 Evan Moran, 16 Dan McKenna, 2 Hugh Douglas, 5 Sean Heaney, 3 Kevin Lynch, 19 Ronan Coughlan, 12 Dylan Hayes, 22 Darragh Noone, 7 Cory Galvin, 10 Aaron Greene, 21 Gary McCabe. Subs: 29 Alex Nevin (Gk), 18 Calvin Rogers (for Noone h/t), 23 Shane Flynn (for Lynch 83), 14 Rhys Gorman (for Hayes h/t, 17 Daniel Kelly (for McCabe h/t ), 24 Jake Ellis (for Coughlan 64m), 11 Jake Kelly (for Galvin 62m), 9 Ger Pender (for Greene h/t).
Match Report: Michael Duffy