Eighth loss on trot
O’Connor has last laugh on return
WEXFORD F.C. 1 BRAY WANDERERS 3
THERE WAS a reunion of a pair of point-less comrades in Ferrycarrig Park as Bray Wanderers grabbed their first win of the season against floundering Wexford F.C. in the SSE Airtricity Under-19 Southern Elite Division.
Unfortunately, this wasn’t anything to do with Alexander Armstrong and Richard Osman coming back after a production break at the BBC, this was the 2017 Wexford F.C. Under-19 management team, Tom O’Connor and James Quinn, squaring up to see who could garner their first points of the season.
It was O’Connor, the departed boss from last year, who had the last laugh, as Wexford lost their eighth game on the bounce. This was his first win with Wanderers since taking over at the start of this season.
The hosts battled away and there was no shortage of effort. Adham Masood was excellent, Ciarán Murphy had his moments, but otherwise a Wexford side devoid of confidence struggled to match the superior play of the opposition.
Bray took the lead in the 15th minute when Dragos Mamaliga found himself in space between the lines, and he fed in Piotr Suberlak who finished through Colum Feeney’s legs.
Masood tested Adam Dempsey later in the half with a crisp effort from outside the box, but the former Wexford ‘keeper was up to the challenge.
Either side of the interval, Masood missed the target with shots at goal, and Bray weren’t as profligate when their chance arose in the 50th minute to make it two.
After the hosts lost possession in midfield, Byron O’Gorman set up another former Wexford man, Oscar Smith, and he drilled past Feeney.
In the 65th minute substitute Daniel Luczynski raced clear of the home defence and made it 3-0.
If Wexford were going to score their third goal of the season it had to be Masood to create it, and he released Liam Berry to net a minute after they went three down.
Wanderers were reduced to ten when Niall Barr picked up his second yellow in the 74th minute. However, Wexford rarely threatened with the numerical advantage and Bray were able to hold on to take the points.
Wexford are now in their mid-season break, and they will need to find something more to end the season with any semblance of respectability. They travel to Cork City for their first game after the interval, a McGuill Cup tie on June 27.
Wexford F.C.: Colum Feeney; Seán Murphy, Ciarán Paige, Ger Murray, Mikey Carroll, Vincent Quinlan, Shane Cahill, Yaw Aboagye, Ciarán Murphy, Jack White, Adham Masood. Subs. - Liam Berry for Aboagye (56), Mick Gardiner for Quinlan (65), Adam Feeney for Cahill (68), also Danny Bruce, Kealan Gaffney, Coran Lindsay.
Bray Wanderers: Adam Dempsey; Riyad Simon, Jack Gallagher (capt.), Alex Rafferty, Cian Walsh, Dragos Mamaliga, Conrad Wiechec, Piotr Suberlak, Byron O’Gorman, Oscar Smith, Niall Barr. Subs. - Dylan Hennessy for Wiechec (53), Daniel Luczynski for Mamaliga (58), Joshua Ojelabi for Walsh (71), Aaron Hennessy for Smith (76), Jakes Byrne for Suberlak (83), also Jordan Walker, Timmy Ilori.
Referee: Brian Fenlon (Wexford).