Galway United 0 Bray Wanderers 0
Eamon Deacy Park, First Division, 21 August 2020
Bray Wanderers and Galway United played out the first scoreless game between the sides in the 61st meeting of the teams in all competitions This was a game in which Wanderers would regret their first half scoring opportunities to win the game.
Wanderers made two changes to the team from their previous outing against Shamrock Rovers II last Monday. Joe Doyle and Gary Shaw started up front in place of Darragh Lynch and Derek Daly.
Joe Doyle had a great opportunity to open the scoring after eight minutes. He robbed possession off a Galway defender and found himself clear in a one-on-one against Connor, but the big Galway keeper stood firm to save well. Just past the quarter hour, Callum Thompson created a chance from the right for Gary Shaw but Connor saved well from the striker.
Connor was called into action again in the 25th minute. Gary Shaw’s superb through ball put Ryan Graydon in the clear on the left, but Connor produced another great save. Connor got his fingertips to a Shaw cross minutes later to deny the inrushing Graydon at the back post.
Galway’s first shot on goal came in the 38th minute when Stephen Christopher fired well over the Bray crossbar.
Just past the hour mark, Joe Doyle forced Connor into another save from a tight angle. Killian Cantwell was next to test the busy home goalkeeper when he drove a shot on goal from the edge of the area on 79 minutes.
Wanderers lost possession in midfield to Shane Doherty with five minutes remaining, and as he raced in on goal Maher saved brilliantly but Aaron Barry was penalised for pulling back the Galway player on the edge of the area. Barry was shown a straight red card. Chris Horgan flashed a shot across the Wanderers goal from the right with two minutes remaining on the clock.
Wanderers will be happy with their defensive displace as this was their sixth clean sheet from their eight league games this season.
Galway United: 16 Matthew Connor, 2 Jack Lynch, 6 Maurice Nugent, 7 Timmy Molloy, 8 Shane Duggan, 9 Michael Place, 11 Shane Doherty, 12 Stephen Christopher,15 Donal Higgins, 21 Christopher Horgan, 23 Timo Parthoens. Substitutes: Kevin Horgan (Gk), 3 Marc Ludden, 10 Conor Barry, 14 Enda Curran (for Doherty, 85), 19 Francely Lomboto (for Christopher, 85), 27 Sam Warde, 28 Wilson Waweru (for Place, h/t)
Bray Wanderers: 25 Brian Maher, 2 John Ross Wilson, 3 Dylan Barnett, 4 Killian Cantwell, 5 Aaron Barry, 7 Ryan Graydon, 8 Callum Thompson, 9 Joe Doyle, 10 Gary Shaw, 17 Luka Lovic, 18 Sean McEvoy, Substitutes; 1 Adam Hayden (Gk), 6 Paul Keegan (for Graydon, 72), 11 Derek Daly, 12 Jack Watson, 14 Tristan Noack-Hofmann (for Thompson, 84), 17 Darragh Lynch (for Shaw, 89), 27 Marlon Marishta.
Match Report: Michael Duffy