Dundalk 0 Bray Wanderers 0
Oriel Park, Premier Division, 16 February 2018
Wanderers got their 2018 league campaign off to a great start with a good performance to earn a deserved draw at Oriel Park.
The home side started on top but, debutant keeper Aaron Dillon was equal to any shots fired at him. Stephen Folan shot across the face of goal early on for Dundalk and then Jamie McGrath’s shot from the edge of the area produced a good save from Dillon in the Bray goal.
Bray began to come into the game and Gary McCabe fired a free kick over the bar from distance. Wanderers then produced a great chance. Cory Galvin broke free on the left and Rogers saved well with ex-Wanderer Chris Shields clearing the loose ball.
Dundalk almost went ahead just before the break. Benson headed a cross from Jarvis goalwards which Dillon tipped over the bar.
The best chance of the second half fell to the visitors. Daniel Kelly played in Aaron Greene, He broke free but Rogers was out quick from his line to save brilliantly. Dundalk put on some late pressure but the Wanderers rearguard defended well to earn a point..
Dundalk: Gary Rogers; Sean Gannon, Stephen Folan, Dane Massey, Dean Jarvis; Chris Shields, Robbie Benson; Dylan Connolly, Jamie McGrath (for Murray 66), Michael Duffy; Ronan Murray. Subs: Patrick Hoban, Krisztian Adorjan (for Connolly 57), Sam Byrne (for McGrath 80), George Poynton, Daniel Cleary, Gabriel Sava (Gk), Jack O’Keeffe.
Bray Wanderers: Aaron Dillon, Dan McKenna, Hugh Douglas, Sean Heaney, Kevin Lynch, Ronan Coughlan, Paul O’Conor, John Sullivan, Cory Galvin, Aaron Greene, Gary McCabe. Subs: Darragh Noone (for Sullivan 60), Daniel Kelly (for Coughlan 71), Rhys Gorman, Dylan Hayes, Jake Kelly, Ger Pender, Evan Moran (GK).
Referee: Rob Rogers
Attendance: 2,491
Match Report: Michael Duffy