Under 17s defeated by Shamrock Rovers

Bray Wanderers (u17) 0 Shamrock Rovers (U17) 4

Bray suffered their first U17 EA Sports National Underage League home loss in the 2022 season when going down to a clinical Shamrock Rovers.

The Hoops led 3-0 at the interval on Saturday afternoon at Ballycorus before registering their four win in a row. The match was delayed due to a clash of the Green and White gear before the visitors lined out in an all-Black strip.

Just eight minutes had ticked by when the away side cleared a free to counterattack. John O’Sullivan’s shot was blocked by Pharrell Manuel followed up to bury the rebound.

Wanderers – who go into the contest on the back of their own three-match winning streak – went close four minutes later but Max Mason flashed his effort wide. The Hoops doubled their lead in the 17^th minute when O’Sullivan dinked a lob over goalkeeper Samuel Safaei despite claims for offside. A third nearly arrived in the 26^th minute. Safaei challenged Tofumi Afolabi in the box. Despite cries for a penalty from the away dugout, play continued. The loose ball ran to Cian Dillion. But somehow Callum Goud deflected the ball on the crossbar. Yet, the visitors did make 3-0 in style five minutes before the break. O’Sullivan unleashed a 25-yard shot that swerved and dipped into the far-left corner of the net.

Just three minutes into the second period, Mason had a goal harshly ruled out for offside when he appeared to be on. Then in the 53^rd minute, Daniel Chukwu’s cut-back set-up Lewis Table who lifted his close-range effort over the bar. With 15 minutes to go, substitute Abdul Bouderbala sealed the points when cutting in off the left flank to brilliantly find the net from 25-yards. The result means – after five games played –that Rovers top the Group C table with 13 points. Shelbourne are second – just a point behind their rivals – after defeating Wexford FC 3-0. Bray are third on nine points.

Wanderers are scheduled to face Carlow/Kilkenny FC away next Saturday (April 23).

Bray Wanderers u17: Samuel Safaei; Matthew Anderson, David Monaghan, Callum Goud, Zach Nolan; Max Hennessy, Joshua Kerr; Daniel Chukwu, Lewis Jacobs, Dylan Ryan; Max Mason.

Subs: Jake Murray, Luke Nolan, Eoghan O’Hanlon, Conor O’Gorman, Caleb O’Neill, Harry Sherlock, Jamie Molloy, Joe Collins.