Bray Wanderers 2 Wexford FC 0
Carlisle Grounds, First Division, 28 February 2020
Wanderers made three changes to the starting team from the team defeated a week earlier by Cabinteely. Leigh Kavanagh, Tristan Noack Hoffman and Derek Daly all started in place of Aaron Barry, Brandon McCann and Joe Doyle.
Dylan Barnett operated on the left wing with Hoffman playing at left full while Derek Daly played just off striker Gary Shaw.
Wanderers had a penalty appeal on the quarter hour when Dylan Barnett went down after contact with the Wexford keeper, but referee Alan Carey gave a corner instead. Bray’s first chance in the 21st minute with John Ross Wilson shooting wide after been set up by Ryan Graydon. Wanderers opened the scoring on 28 minutes when Dylan Barnett’s cross from the left was turned into his own net by James Carroll under pressure from Gary Shaw.
Wexford had a great chance at the start of the second half. Karl Fitzsimons’ cross fell to Kaleem Simon, but his shot was well saved by Maher. Wanderers should have added to the score line on 54 minutes as Barnett turned his man and played in Tristan Noack-Hoffmann but he shot over.
John Ross Wilson saw his cross come back off the crossbar as Wanderers pressed for a second. Wanderers eventually sealed the win in the final minute. Dylan Barnett did well down the left and forced Murphy into a save. 16 year old Andrew Moran was quickest to react to the loose ball and fired home for his first senior goal for the club.
Bray Wanderers: Brian Maher; John Ross Wilson, Dylan Barnett, Killian Cantwell, Paul Keegan, Ryan Graydon, Gary Shaw, Derek Daly, Tristan Noack-Hoffmann, Luka Lovic. Leigh Kavanagh.
Subs: Jack Watson (for Daly, 67), Andrew Moran (for Lovic, 74), Joe Doyle (for Graydon, 83), Adam Hayden (gk), Aaron Barry, Brandon McCann, Luke Nolan.
Wexford FC: Tom Murphy, Karl Fitzsimons, James Carroll, Dan Tobin, Conor Crowley, Cian Kavanagh, Kaleem Strawbridge-Simon, Janabi Amour, Karl Manahan, Charlie Smith, Paul Cleary.
Subs: Conor English (for Amour, 68), Patrick O’Sullivan (for Manahan, 84), Sean Roche (for Fitzsimons, 86), Colum Feeney, Craig Giles, Lee Costello, Kristian Crawford.
Referee: Alan Carey.
Attendance: 1,106
Match Report: Michael Duffy
Pictures: Peter Minogue