Heaney grabs the winner for Wanderers
Pender also hits the net as Bray Wanderers sink Sligo
BRAY WANDERERS 2 SLIGO ROVERS 1
SEAN Heaney blasted Bray Wanderers on social media on Tuesday last but he fired them to three points on Sunday.
He nodded home the winner 14 minutes from time as the Seagulls forgot about their financial worries and proved that rumours of their demise were greatly exaggerated as they moved to within six points of Limerick.
It was Wanderers’ fourth success at the Carlisle Grounds this term and moved them up to 14 points but they had to do so without the departed Cory Galvin, Ronan Coughlan and Aaron Greene – whilst captain Gary McCabe is believed to be in the process of leaving the club also. Greene was in attendance as a spectator.
With so many attackers bolting for the exit door, Ger Pender was handed a rare start and he grabbed it with both hands as his first goal of the season had handed the Seagulls the lead in the first half but Adam Wixted levelled early in the second period before Heaney’s decisive effort.
There was a wonderful opportunity for Bray to strike first blood after eight minutes. Pender released Jake Ellis who did the hard part in fending off Sligo captain Kyle McFadden but then squandered the chance as he squeezed his shot wide of the far post.
Within three minutes, it was Rovers who had their head in their hands.
Regan Donnelan sent a searching pass towards Mikey Drennan. Bray seemed convinced an offside would be awarded and stalled before Sean Heaney stepped in to take control but his pass intended for Moran went straight to Drennan.
Fortunately for Heaney, Drennan couldn’t profit on his return to the League of Ireland as he steered wide.
On 15 minutes there was another lack of an offside flag but this time there were more severe consequences.
Rhys Gorman chipped over the top for Ger Pender. Sligo stood and waited for a flag that never arrived so Pender had an age to take a touch and fire past Mitchell Beeney.
Shortly after the half hour mark, Rhys Gorman did brilliantly to block a David Cawley strike but the ball looped into the sky and fell for Mikey Drennan who caught it with a very sweet volley that flew inches wide.
Evan Moran has adopted a worrying habit of thinking that he’s Luka Modric on the ball in recent times and he again was lucky to escape punishment as his pass intended for Kevin Lynch struck Cretaro but deflected into Moran’s hands.
Gorman, who spent the first half in midfield and the second half in defence, tried his luck with a 25yard free on the brink of half-time which had Rovers goalkeeper Beeney scrambling.
A thunderbolt from David Cawley forced Moran into a fine save but the shot-stopper would be beaten in the 55th minute as Cretaro’s exquisite cross to the back post was nodded home by ex-Seagull Adam Wixted.
It was a brilliant spot from Cretaro – very few in the league would have the vision to see the pass and even fewer would have the skill to execute it.
Wixted had a wonderful chance to turn the match in Rovers’ favour as Lewis Morrison’s perfectly-weighted pass found him but he blasted straight at Moran.
Two minutes later Bray had found the winner. Gorman delivered a free kick from the left and Heaney got a march on his man which allowed him to glance it home.
Rovers could have salvaged a draw as Morrison was one-onone with Moran but he took too long to make up his mind and the shot-stopper narrowed the angles and made the block.
Rob Hennessy’s final whistle was met by relief and vindication from the Bray players.
It was a big proverbial middle finger to the mockers and doubters.
As for Sligo, their fans booed their team for a lack of effort and this prompted some members of the backroom staff to confront them which threatened to turn ugly and didn’t end there as fans approached the Sligo changing room in search of an apology later on.
But for Bray – in a week where all hope appeared to be lost – they provided some light at the end of the tunnel.
BRAY WANDERERS: 29. Evan Moran; 31. Sean Harding, 4. Conor Kenna, 5. Sean Heaney, 3. Kevin Lynch; 32. Craig Walsh, 6. Paul O’Conor, 14. Rhys Gorman, 17. Daniel Kelly; 9. Ger Pender, 24. Jake Ellis. SUBS: Dragos Mamaliga for Lynch (H/T); Jake Kelly for Pender (59); Byron O’Gorman for Ellis (70). Not used: Mark O’Connor, Calvin Rogers, Alex Rafferty, Cian Walsh.
SLIGO ROVERS: 33. Mitchell Beeney; 6. Seamus Sharkey, 5. Kyle McFadden, 21. John Mahon, 3. Regan Donelon; 17. Caolan McAleer, 7. Rhys McCabe, 22. David Cawley, 19. Adam Wixted; 10. Raffaele Cretaro; 8. Mikey Drennan. SUBS: Lewis Morrison for Drennan (65); Kris Twardek for McAleer (69); Liam Kerrigan for Cretaro (77). Not used: Patrick McClean, Jack Keaney, Ed McGinty, Darren Collins.
REFEREE: Robert Hennessy. VENUE: Carlisle Grounds, Bray.