Bray Wanderers 1 St. Patrick’s Athletic 3
A failure to take a series of early chances cost Bray as they sank to an U17 LOI Academy Phase 2 Tier Two (North) defeat.
St. Pat’s struck twice in quick succession late in the opening half before they secured victory midway through the second period on Saturday afternoon at Ballycorus.
The Dubliner’s had won the reverse fixture 2-1 back in August at TU Blanchardstown.
But the Wicklow club flew out of the traps this time round.
From Ethan Cheese’s fourth minute corner, Jack Nolan’s close range header was brilliantly parried by Shaun Hall on the goal-line while Luke Smith somehow blasted the rebound over with the goal at his mercy.
Then Hall stood up to deny Billy O’Neill in the seventh after the Irish U16 cap held off a defender in the box.
The visitors spurned a 20th opportunity when Roland Uzoma clipped the crossbar just yards from the line.
That allowed the Green and White’s to hit the front in the 28th minute.
From a long clearance, Rhys Knight controlled. He then fed O’Neill and continued his run into the penalty area. O’Neill found his skipper who deftly rolled the ball low past Hall from 14-yards.
But the Saints were back on level terms in the 36th minute.
A fine run and cross off the right wing by Andrew Cahill was finished off by Fuhad Kareem.
After Adam Nolan’s 39th minute header grazed the bar; it got even better for the visitors in the three minutes later.
A fantastic solo run by Matthew O’Hara saw him weave his way forward from midfield before expertly curling in left footed from 22-yards.
The fourth score was always going to be vital. And it went the way of the visitors in the 66th minute.
Kareem scampered along the edge of the box and swivelled at the ‘D to hit a low right footed drive that evaded the dive of reserve goalkeeper Alex Forde.
Before the game, it was confirmed that Bray will finish fourth in the section after recent results.
Wanderers outstanding fixture in the section is their recently abandoned away tie with Longford Town.
Bray Wanderers: David Winkler; Paddy Kildee-Doolan, Alain Kizenga, Luke Smith; Ronan Langan, Jack Nolan; Kian Dowling, Rhys Knight, Dylan Ryan, Ethan Cheese; Billy O’Neill.
Subs: Phillip Cooney, Ronan Dawson, Aidan Kane, Adam Reid, Alex Forde.
St. Patrick’s Athletic: Shaun Hall; Feilim Dikcius, Adam Nolan, Darragh Mooney; Caighlum Barry Mulvey; Andrew Cahill, Lee Gilbert, Matthew O’Hara, Roland Uzoma, Emmanuel Osei Bonsu; Fuhad Kareem.
Subs: Brian Moore, Culann McCabe, Abdurahman Bouderbala, Daniel Bello, Cian Kearney.
Referee: Ruben Collins Observer: Assistants: Michael Kennedy, Joseph Byrne (Wicklow ISRS).