Wanderers suffer late Galway defeat

Bray Wanderers 0 Galway United 1

Carlisle Grounds, First Division, 24 October 2020

Ryan Graydon challenges Mikey Place

Bray Wanderers hopes of winning the First Division title is now outside of their control after Galway struck for a winner three minutes into added on time to keep alive their hopes of making the play offs.

Bray made one change to the starting team from their last game against Shamrock Rovers II. Gary Shaw started in place of Darragh Lynch.

Gary Shaw forced Horgan into a save after just five minutes after been played in by Sean McEvoy. Mikey Place force Brian Maher into an excellent save on 17 minutes, with the keeper tipping over Place’s long- range shot. Killian Brouder headed just over from the resulting corner.

Gary Shaw headed just over from Watson’s cross on 24 minutes. Callum Thompson went close minutes later, firing just wide after Horgan’s punch fell to him. Two minutes before the break, Dylan Barnett fired a shot against the post after Galway failed to clear his corner from the right.

Brian Maher saves

Shane Doherty headed just over from a Molloy cross on the hour mark for the visitors. Wanderers went close on 68 minutes when Gary Shaw’s header from a John Ross Wilson cross was saved by Horgan. Callum Thompson went on a run down the right and forced Horgan into a save. Wanderers had a let off four minutes from time. Maher saved initially from Waweru, but as the ball looked to be going in Cillian Cantwell got back to clear with an overhead kick.

In the final minute, Ryan Graydon got clear down the right and his low cross picked out the inrushing Jack Watson who fired straight at Horgan. Galway then broke on a counterattack with Francely Lomboto firing a shot off the Bray post. The ball was returned to the area and Ubaezuonu scored from close range.

With Drogheda United defeating Wexford FC 2-0 this afternoon they now leapfrog Wanderers at the top of the table. Drogheda hold a one point and four goal advantage over Wanderers with just one game remaining. Bray must now beat Athlone Town away and hope Drogheda drop points away to Cabinteely if Wanderers are to win the title.

Jack Watson on the attack

Bray Wanderers: 25 Brian Maher, 2 John Ross Wilson, 3 Dylan Barnett, 4 Killian Cantwell, 5 Aaron Barry, 7 Ryan Graydon, 8 Callum Thompson, 9 Joe Doyle, 17 Luka Lovic, 18 Sean McEvoy, 10 Gary Shaw.

Substitutes; 1 Adam Hayden (Gk), 6 Paul Keegan, 12 Jack Watson (for Lovic, 21), 11 Derek Daly (for Doyle, 80), 14 Noack-Hofmann, 19 Darragh Lynch (for Shaw, 68), 26 Cian Maher

Booked:  Watson (88) Brian Maher (90)

Galway United: 1 Kevin Horgan; 2 Jack Lynch, 3 Marc Ludden, 5 Killian Brouder  6 Maurice Nugent; 11 Shane Doherty, 8 Shane Duggan, 7 Timmy Molloy, 9 Mikey Place, 27 Sam Warde; 14 Enda Curran.

Subs not used:  10 Conor Barry (for Mikey Place, 65), 19 Francely Lomboto (for Molloy, 88), 25 Carlton Ubaezuonu (for Warde, 65); 29 Vinny Faherty (for Curran. 18), 21 Christopher Horgan, 26 Cian Murphy, 28 Wilson Waweru (for Faherty, h/t)

Sean McEvoy defending a Galway attack

Booked: Sam Warde (45), Shane Doherty (88).

Referee: Oliver Moran

Match Report: Michael Duffy

Pictures: Peter Minogue