Bray get torn apart
Troubled Seagulls prove no match for Bohemians
BOHEMIANS BRAY WANDERERS 6 0
IN the week that Bray Wanderers’ finally put their off-field embarrassment to an end, it was their on-field shenanigans that left them red-faced as they were torn apart by relegation rivals Bohemians.
A mere 10 points separated the sides before kick-off but the gulf in class between the pair was evident as Bohs romped to a 4-0 lead before the interval. That became 6-0 in the second half and should have been more had it not been for a fine performance from Evan Moran and a penalty miss from the Gypsies too.
Earlier in July, Daniel Kelly was a Seagull and proud but on Friday he bagged the two opening strikes to heap misery on his former side. Dinny Corcoran notched the third - all by the 26th minute - before Kevin Devaney ominously added a fourth in the 42nd minute.
A boxing referee may have stopped the fight at this stage, but the battering continued as Rob Cornwall headed home a fifth in the 50th minute.
Bohs won and missed a penalty seven minutes later and the assault relented until the 80th minute when Cristian Magerusan marked his debut with a goal.
As early as the second minute, the warning signs were there for the Seagulls. Keith Ward curled an effort to the net from inside the penalty area, but an offside flag curtailed his celebrations and the champagne was put on ice. But not for long.
By the fifth minute, Daniel Kelly had haunted his former employers as his pace saw him beat the offside trap and latch onto Ward’s through-ball before prodding it past Moran.
Kelly nearly doubled the lead within a minute, but Moran was equal to the attacker’s effort on this occasion.
Seagulls skipper Gary McCabe had the chance to steady the ship when he bested Keith Buckley and was free of the Bohs defence but his shot was unconvincing and Shane Supple kept it out.
Ward was next to go close again when left-back Darragh Leahy cut the ball back to Ward, but he snatched at the shot and the Bray defence lived to tell the tale.
It was 2-0 by minute 22. Ward’s shot was deflected, and it lead to a scramble in the box and Kelly flung a long limb at it and slotted it home to set Bohs well on their way to three points.
A third for Bohs would come about as ex-Gypsy Dylan Hayes fouled Keith Ward and Dinny Corcoran stepped up to tuck away number three.
The honour of goal of the evening belonged to Kevin Devaney for his delicious effort shortly before the half-time break when he unleashed a rocket from over 20 yards out that gave Moran no hope.
A fifth before the break was a possibility and young right-back Andy Lyons almost delivered it but was unlucky to see his effort leave the crossbar shaking and not the net bulging.
Despite their four-goal advantage, the hosts showed no sympathy for Bray after the break and it took a wonder save from Moran to deny Corcoran’s dipping left-footed volley from 35 yards whick looked set to hit the target.
Bohs’ fifth was straightforward as Ward’s corner was recycled by Devaney and nodded home by centre-half Rob Cornwall.
On 57 minutes, Evan Moran clipped Andy Lyons as he burst through on goal.
With Corcoan already on the team-sheet and Kelly eyeing a hattrick, Dalymount Park made their feelings known as they chanted “Kelly, Kelly, Kelly”.
Despite their pleas, Corcoran placed the ball on the spot and would immediately regret his decision as Moran denied the Bohs striker.
Lyons put the ball on a plate for Corcoran in the 67th minute but the misfiring frontman fluffed his lines from close range.
Kelly’s hopes of a treble were ended when he was withdrawn with 76 minutes played and four minutes later his replacement, Cristian Magerusan, was celebrating a debut strike with a clever header.
Six would have become seven had Moran not been alert to brilliantly turn away JJ Lunney’s strike seven minutes from time but thankfully for Bray Wanderers, the humiliation would end there.
Next up for this demoralised, beleaguered and hurting side is the visit of league champions Cork City.
1. Shane Supple; 29. Andy Lyons, 4. Dan Casey, 5. Rob Cornwall, 3. Darragh Leahy; 27. Daniel Kelly, 19. JJ Lunney, 16. Keith Buckley,
11. Keith Devaney; 10. Keith Ward; 9. Dinny Corcoran. Subs: Dan Byrne for Cornwall (65); Cristian Magerusan for D. Kelly (76); Ian Morris for Buckley (84). Not used: Sean Hogan, Paddy Kirk, Danny Grant, Patrick Kavanagh.
29. Evan Moran;
27. Dragos Mamaliga, 5. Sean Heaney,
4. Conor Kenna, 31. Sean Harding; 6. Paul O’Conor, 14. Rhys Gorman; 12. Dylan Hayes, 21. Gary McCabe, 11. Jake Kelly; 9. Ger Pender. Subs: Calvin Rogers for Mamaliga (63); Darragh Noone for Kelly (63); Jake Ellis for Hayes (73). Not used: Mark O’Connor, Cian Walsh, Byron O’Gorman, Alex Rafferty.
Neil Doyle. Dalymount Park, Dublin.