Bray Wanderers 9 Longford Town 3
Three goals in each of the three periods saw Bray ease into the next round of the U15 Michael Hayes Cup.
Hat-tricks by Sean Hennelly and Billy O’Neill helped the home team advance on Sunday morning at Ballycorus against a spirited Longford side.
The Green and White’s went ahead in the 11th minute. From Darragh Sherlock’s low free-kick wide right taken left footed, the ball was deflected to the net at the near post by a ‘Town player.
That lead was doubled three minutes later. Billy O’Neill was fouled in the box and Hennelly converted the spot-kick.
Then in the 20th minute, a piece is individual opportunism by Sean Howard saw the midfielder loft a lobbed shot from 22-yard that dropped just under the crossbar.
A fourth score arrived three minutes into the second period. O’Neill gathered a corner and crossed from the right. Away goalkeeper Michal Suchocki parried and Hennelly reacted to poke in.
The visitors pulled one back on 40 when Raymond McNally headed in Mantas Stoskus’ corner.
But Bray hit back three minutes later. They cleared a corner and broke with Jake Fulton releasing O’Neill to make it 5-1.
Just 90 seconds later, sub Cristiano Bramley squared from the left for Sherlock to fire in a 14-yard half volley.
Longford were awarded a 54th minute penalty when Alex Smith was fouled. The striker made no mistake from 12-yards.
O’Neill was on the score-sheet again in the 63rd minute when finishing low to the far left corner after being set free by Sherlock.
Within two minutes, Hennelly completed his treble with a low shot from the edge of the box after being put through by sub Josh O’Leary.
The away outfit replied again in the 70th minute when Smith forced Ryan O’Donoghue’s free over the line.
But O’Neill had the final say in the 77th minute.
The Republic of Ireland international tried to tee up Bramley. The ball ran back kindly for the striker to drive in low from 15-yards to claim his third score of the contest.
Bray Wanderers: Alex Forde; Tadhg Worthington, Noah Byrne, Max Free, Evan Lynch; Jake Fulton, Sean Howard; Darragh Sherlock, Sean Hennelly, Adam Keene; Billy O’Neill
Subs: Cristiano Bramley, Ryan Bell Mihaila, Joshua O’Leary, Callum Kenna, Kai McSwiggan
Longford Town: Michal Suchocki; Dylan Gallagher, Raymond McNally, Ryan O’Donoghue, Matthew Loftus; Domas Miliauskas, Szymon Skoczen; Raman Saman, Cormac Mulligan, Mantas Stoskus; Alex Smith
Subs: Dominik Grzegorski, Ethan Meisonnave, Bradley Begley, Szymon Szatanik, Kyle Kane.
Referee: Dominique Lachaussee.
Bray goal scorer Sean Howard, Darragh Sherlock, Sean Hennelly and Billy O’Neill.
