U15 Match Report – Bray Wanderers 2 Klub Kildare 3

Bray Wanderers 2 Klub Kildare 3

In an enthralling game on Sunday afternoon, Bray suffered their first U15 LOI Academy home loss at Ballycorus this season.

The Wicklow side fell one behind in the Group B contest in the first third. But a quick fire Cristiano Bramley double saw Wanderers led 2-1 at the hour.

But two late Jay Brophy scores helped Klub Kildare secure their first win of the campaign.

The visitors took a sixth minute lead when defender Peter Byrne headed in Luke Burke’s corner.

The hosts responded in the tenth minute when skipper Callum Kenna had a shot blocked on the line after a corner.

But the away outfit went close to adding to their tally after that. Jack Ralph fired into the side netting on 17 before Jaleel Nwanze also diverted Alex Forde’s clearance just wide on 27.

After the first break, Nwanze volleyed wide close in on 33.

Bray then turned the tie on its head with two goals in the space of four minutes in the second third.

In the 36th minute, Bramley linked with Billy O’Neill before Bramley burst to the edge of the box and angled in a low left footed drive.

Then in the 39th minute, from Tadhg Worthington’s throw down the right flank, Sean Hennelly left three opponents in his wake to cross from the endline. He picked out Bramley who stooped to score with a close range back post header.

Kian Keogh made a fine save to thwart Hennelly on 40. Ten minutes later, Brophy beat the offside. He guided the ball past Forde but wide of the goal.

Kildare pressed for an equaliser in the final third. Adam Gilson poked wide on 68 before Forde denied Nwanze two minutes later.

The away side levelled matters in the 76th minute. A cross from the left missed everybody and the unmarked Brophy slotted in at the back post.

O’Neill flashed just with ten minutes of normal time remaining. At the other end in the 84th minute, Nwanze guided the ball towards goal, It hit the post and was cleared off the line by covering sub Max Free.

But the vital score arrived in the 85th minute. Brophy chased a through ball from the left and guided in a low finish left footed to the bottom far corner of the net from just inside the penalty area.

Kildare had a management official removed from the dug-out in the 89th minute.

Bray went close to an equaliser in the six minutes of stoppage time that followed. But James Seberry volleyed wide (90 + 3) with the winger then driving a 95th minute free high and over.

Bray Wanderers: Alex Forde; Tadhg Worthington, Callum Kenna, Noah Byrne, Darragh Sherlock; Aidan Kane, Sean Howard; Sean Hennelly, Cristiano Bramley, James Seberry; Billy O’Neill.

Subs: Max Free, Evan Lynch, Jake Fulton, Adam Keene, Joshua O’Leary, Ryan Bell Mihaila, Liam Billings.

Klub Kildare: Kian Keogh; Luke Burke, Sean Whelan, Peter Byrne, Liam McDonnell; Daniel Connolly, Charlie McElroy; Jay Brophy, Adam Gilson, Jack Ralph; Jaleel Nwanze.

Subs: Matthew Johnston, Matthew Quinn, Jude Dicker, Giulio Montironi, Evan Colgan Markey, Samuel Cooke, Charlie Quinn

Referee: Mark Wynne (Wicklow).

* Bray are on the road on Sunday April 2 next to take on Bohemians., Kick-off at the Oscar Traynor Complex is set for 11.30am.