Late Connolly goal seals Seagulls win
TWO more hurdles separate Bray Wanderers from a place in the EA Sports Cup final.
Bluebell United didn’t make it easy though, coming from 2-0 behind to force extra time but the Seagulls came good in the end to prevail and advance to the last eight.
First half goals from Ryan Brennan and Ger Pender looked to have set the hosts on their way to a comfortable victory but a brace from Sean Byrne left the Seagulls hanging on.
In the first period of extra time Andrew Lewis struck to deflate Bluebell and Dylan Connolly flattened them as he won and scored a penalty with a minute to play which also saw the visitors reduced to 10 men.
The paltry crowd had to wait 11 minutes until they were provided with a moment to get them off their seats, however briefly.
Dylan Connolly surged past two Bluebell defenders as if they weren’t there and drilled in a cross that no Bray attacker read and it fizzled out.
The home faithful were left in stunned but satisfied silence in the 16th minute when they were awarded a penalty. Curtis Murphy’s delivery was catching practice for Andy McNulty but as he looked to launch a counter attack, Ger Pender was picking himself up off the ground after a tussle to get free and assistant Mark Gavin deemed his felling to be an offence. Even Pender, who hadn’t appealed, looked surprised.
Ryan Brennan was left in charge of the spot kick and he drilled his 12-yarder beyond the dive of McNulty to break his side’s run of 300 minutes of competitive football without a goal.
Wanderers’ wait for their next goal was far from 15 score. It was just seven minutes. Brennan stoked a pass to the advancing Conor Kenna who guided it into the penalty area to Karl Moore. He charged to the byline and cut it back for Pender who’s powerful effort found the net via a deflection. It would have gone in anyway though so the dubious goals panel won’t be taking his first ever senior goal for the club away from him.
Seagulls fans wanted a rout but their hopes were dashed as then visitors pulled one back in the 40th minute.
Tony Griffith collected a return pass from Gerard Rowe before seeing his low drive expertly turned onto the post by Peter Cherrie.
The rebound fell to Tony Sune and he leathered it goalwards but Alan McNally got himself between the ball and the goal-line.
However, when Sean Byrne followed it up, third time proved to be a charm for Bluebell as he slammed it home.
Seconds before referee Michael O’Connor’s half-time whistle, a United player went to ground in the penalty area and they thought they’d gotten a penalty as well only to quickly realise it was the signal for the interval instead.
Wanderers took the foot of the gas in the early stages of the second period and should have taken on board their rude awakening on 68 minutes as they let their lead slip.
Sule intercepted the ball and took it around Cherrie, squaring into the centre for Byrne who beat Douglas to it by a matter of inches to stab it over the line.
Sule almost left the home side reeling when he scampered after Byrne’s clever through-ball but with both Douglas and Kenna standing guard, the best he could muster was a potshot that flew over.
The Seasiders seemed shellshocked and gone was the silky passing movements that they threaded together in the first half, replaced by hopeful long balls that produced nothing but groans from the crowd.
The highlight of the second half for Wanderers was the first team debut of Darragh Noone, an 87th minute replacement for Robbie Creevy.
Noone may have been contemplating whether or not to put himself forward for penalty duties but he was saved that torture by Lewis. Connolly tried his luck from the right and McNulty’s parry landed on the penalty spot.
As Moore looked poised to strike it, Lewis caressed it into his own path and he justified his decision as he wrapped his finish around McNulty and into the far corner.
Salt would well and truly be rubbed in the wounds of the visitors in the dying moments as Dean Laurence tripped Connolly as he dashed into the penalty area.
A penalty and red card was the punishment dealt out by Michael O’Connor and the winger composed himself to land his first Bray goal from the spot.
Top Form: Dylan Connolly (Bray Wanderers): Starting to look like a real asset.
Scorers - Bray Wanderers 3 (Brennan pen 27, Pender 34, Lewis 101, Connolly pen 119), Bluebell United 2 (Byrne 40, 68).
Bray Wanderers: 1. Peter Cherrie; 2. Hugh Douglas, 5. Alan McNally, 4. Conor Kenna, 3. Curtis Murphy; 16. Dylan Connolly, 21. Robbie Creevy, 7. Ryan Brennan, 10. Karl Moore; 18. Andrew Lewis, 17. Ger Pender. Subs: Jason Marks for Murphy (74); Darragh Noone for Creevy (87); Gareth McDonagh for Pender (107). Not used: Aaron Shanahan, Sean Harding, Sean Noble, Shane Barnes.
Bluebell United: 1. Andy McNulty; 2. Sean Gleeson, 5. Gilmar Mandiangu, 4. Dean Laurence, 3. Karl Russell; 7. Sean Byrne, 8. Robert Bayly, 6. Keith Quinn, 10. Gerard Rowe, 11. Ajibjula Sule; 9. Tony Griffith. Subs: Tony Keeler for Gleeson (67); Peter Sherlock for Bayly (74); Toyeeb Mustapha for Rowe (103). Not used: Graham Zambra, Barry Slattery, Glenn Leddy, Peter Darcy.
Referee: Michael O’Connor. Venue: Carlisle Grounds, Bray.