Lilywhites too classy for Seagulls
BRAY WANDERERS DUNDALK 1 3
THIS facile victory saw Dundalk return to the summit of the Premier Division as their tit-for-tat battle with Cork City continued.
Bray Wanderers weren’t left wanting when it came to effort or desire but they were simply outclassed by a superior Lilywhites side on Gary Cronin’s first league game in charge of the Seagulls.
Dundalk took a 0-2 lead in at the interval having asserted their dominance in the first period. They gift-wrapped a goal for the hosts early in the second period but wrapped things up late on as they ran out 1-3 winners.
Pat Hoban and Robbie Benson had set the visitors on their way to victory in the first half before a Chris Shields blunder saw Jake Kelly pull one back.
Dylan Connolly returned to haunt his former club though and ensure that Dundalk would once again take pole position in the title chase.
There was a last-minute debut for 16-year old goalkeeper Enda Minogue following the late withdrawal of Evan Moran but if Minogue was nervous, he didn’t look it as he sprung to his left to turn Patrick Hoban’s thumper around the post.
Minogue was one of three changes made by Gary Cronin; there were also starts for Dragos Mamaliga and Jake Kelly.
Dundalk kept Bray completely penned into their own half for the opening half and their dominance was registered on the scoreboard after 17 minutes.
Jamie McGrath sent in a deep, hanging cross from the right and Hoban leapt highest to send a looping header over Minogue and into the far corner and bag his 23rd goal of the campaign.
Wanderers had a rare opportunity in the form of a free kick in the middle of the ‘D’. Sean Harding’s powerful strike avoided the wall but whistled wide of Gary Rogers’ left-hand post.
Four minutes later, the Lilywhites doubled their lead as Robbie Benson floated a corner to the penalty spot.
Brian Gartland met it powerfully and Robbie Benson applied the finishing touch from close-range.
Michael Duffy may have bagged a stunning goal a few weeks ago but his 29th minute 30-yarder wasn’t quite as spectacular and it was an easy catch for Minogue.
Benson then rolled the ball into Hoban’s feet on the edge of the area and the top scorer held it up before laying it on for McGrath but his low, curling shot was too close to Minogue.
Some neat footwork from the former St. Pat’s man earned him the right to shoot on the stroke of half time but Minogue secured his effort at the second attempt.
Another delivery from McGrath - this time a deep free kick - caused worry for the Bray defence as Daniel Cleary muscled his way to the ball but his header sailed over the crossbar.
At the interval, it looked like the second half would be a procession for Stephen Kenny’s side but Chris Shields’ poor back-pass on 48 minutes changed that as it allowed Jake Kelly to steer past Rogers and halve the deficit.
But ex-Seagull Dylan Connolly - introduced at the break - would restore the two-goal cushion and secure the three points with 15 minutes left on the clock. There were large suspicions of offside as Hoban was found but he brilliantly rolled Conor Kenna before putting it on a plate for Connolly at the back post.
Connolly opted for the handsbehind-the-ears celebration in front of the home support which did not go down well in Camp Seagulls.
Gary Cronin was pleased with his side’s effort in his post-match thoughts and should the manager have decided to treat his players to a pint, nine of the 18-man matchday squad would have had to decline as they are not yet of age.
That is a damning indictment of the massive challenge that Cronin has assumed. Alan Hansen infamously said “you can’t win anything with kids” but this Bray Wanderers project is a long-term one.