Drogheda United 1 (Kane 60)
Bray Wanderers 4 (Shaw 7 & 67, Craven 29, Kavanagh 80)
Abbotstown, Friendly, 13 March 2021
Wanderers recorded their first win of pre-season with this impressive victory over premier division Drogheda United at a windy Abbotstown this afternoon.
Wanderers went ahead after just seven minutes. Darren Craven played in Gary Shaw on the left and the striker scored low past Odumosa. Two minutes later, a Craven cross from the left was met by Ryan Graydon at the back post but the winger put his header wide when well placed.
Brian Maher had to be at his best when saving from Brandon Bermingham, with the keeping tipping the ball over the bar on 17 minutes. Conor Kane shot wide for Drogheda after coming in from the left on 28 minutes. A minute later, Wanderers doubled their lead. Darren Craven picked up the ball in midfield and fed Shaw who laid the ball back to Craven and he scored low into the corner.
Chris Lyons has a chance for Drogheda on 35 minutes after James Brown pulled a ball back from the end line, but the ex-Wanderers striker’s shot was saved by Maher for a corner.
Five minutes into the second period, Brandon Kavanagh cut in from the right and fired a shot against the angle of post and crossbar. Darren Craven found himself with a clear run-on goal on 57 minutes, but his shot was smothered out by McCabe and a defender. Drogheda pulled a goal back on the hour mark when Conor Kane’s cross from the left sailed over Brian Maher’s head and into the net.
Any hopes of a Drogheda comeback were ended on 67 minutes when Mark Byrne’s long pass found Shaw and he controlled the ball before chipping over the advancing McCabe to restore Wanderers two goal lead. Brandon Kavanagh’s long range free kick on 70 minutes rebounded off the post. Luka Lovic saw his shot deflected out for a corner on 77 minutes. From the resulting corner Wanderers were awarded a penalty. Gary Shaw fired the penalty straight down the centre which McCabe saved easily.
With ten minutes remaining, Kavanagh curled a shot in from the left which ended in the top right corner of the net for Wanderers fourth goal. In the final minute, Charlie Gallagher’s shot was saved by McCabe as Wanderers ran out easy winners.
Drogheda United: David Odumosa, James Brown, Conor Kane, Dan O’Reilly, Darragh Markey, Gary Deegan, Chris Lyons, Jake Hyland, Brandon Bermingham, Ronan Murray, Dane Massey.
Substitutes: Colin McCabe (gk) (for Odumosa, h/t), Jack Tuite (for O’Reilly, 80), Hugh Douglas (for Massey, 80), Sam O’Brien, Mohamed Boudiaf, Charles Mutawe (for Murray, 86), Killian Phillips (for Deegan, 62), Jordan Adeyemo (for Bermingham, 62), Luke Heeney (for Hyland, 62), Dinny Corcorcan (for Lyons, h/t).
Bray Wanderers: 1 Brian Maher, 8 Mark Byrne, 3 Dylan Barnett, 28 Dan Jones, 5 Aaron Barry, 6 Conor Clifford, 14 Richard O’Farrell, 7 Ryan Graydon, 16 Darren Craven, 11 Brandon Kavanagh, 10 Gary Shaw.
Substitutes; 30 Kian Clarke (Gk) (for Maher, 72), 25 Jack Ross (Gk), 4 Andrew Quinn, 12 John Leddy (for Barnett, 85), 17 Luka Lovic (for O’Farrell, 66), 18 Sean Callan (for Jones, 72), 21 Charlie Gallagher (for Shaw, 85), 22 Steven Kinsella (for Graydon, 72), 23 Glen Hollywood, 24 Cian Maher, 26 Joe Power (for Craven, 85).
Match Report: Michael Duffy
Pictures: Peter Minogue
