Longford Town 0 Bray Wanderers 2
Bishopsgate, First Division, 3 August 2020
Gary Shaw returned to his former club and scored both goals in a deserved win for the visitors. Wanderers made three changes to the starting team from the team that drew with Cobh Ramblers the previous Friday.
Derek Daly, Luka Lovic and Sean McEvoy all started in place of Aaron Barry, Paul Keegan and Ryan Graydon who all dropped to the bench. Dylan Barnett moved to centre half to partner Killian Cantwell with Derek Daly operating at left full back.
Wanderers started well and took the lead after just four minutes. Dylan Barnett’s corner on the right was headed home by Shaw at the near post. Shaw fired a long-range effort over the crossbar on 11 minutes. John Ross Wilson spotted former Wanderers keeper Steacy off his line, but his effort was off target, Steacy produced a magnificent save to deny Shaw a second after the striker met a cross from Derek Daly on the left.
Wanderers doubled their lead on 22 minutes. Joe Doyle create the chance from the right wing and his cross was headed home by Shaw. Shaw went close to completing his hat trick five minutes later, but his left footed effort hit the side netting. Longford’s first effort on goal came just after the half hour when Hand drove over the Bray crossbar following a free kick. Callum Thompson raced clear down the left, but his shot was blocked for a corner.
Longford enjoyed more possession in the second half but never troubled Maher in the Bray goal. Killian Cantwell’s last-ditch tackle denied Manley a shot on goal on 71 minutes. Ryan Graydon forced Steacy into another save on 75 minutes.
Longford Town: 1 Lee Steacy; 2 Shane Elworthy, 5 Mick McDonnell, 4 Dylan Hand, 21 Aaron McNally; 6 Dean Zambra; 7 Dylan Grimes, 16 Aodh Dervin, 12 Niall Barnes; 9 James English; 8 Rob Manley.
Subs: 10 Sam Verdon (for Barnes, 38), 24 Callum Warfield (for McNally, 68), Matthew O’Brien (for Zambra, 72), 18 Dennison (Gk), 14 Lotefa, 19 Karl Chambers, 22. Joe Manley,
Bray Wanderers: 25 Brian Maher; 2 John Ross Wilson, 4 Killian Cantwell, 3 Dylan Barrett, 11 Derek Daly; 18 Sean McEvoy, 8 Callum Thompson, 17 Luka Lovic, 12 Jack Watson, 9 Joe Doyle; 10 Gary Shaw.
Subs: 6 Paul Keegan (for Watson, 59), 7 Ryan Graydon (for McEvoy, 68), 27 Marlon Marishta (for Thompson, 79). 1 Adam Hayden (Gk), 14 Tristan Noack-Hofmann, 19 Darragh Lynch.
Match Report: Michael Duffy