Second spot for worthy Wanderers!

THE disappointment of dropping two points was definitely diluted by Bray Wanderers’ rise to second in the Premier Division table -a position they have never occupied before in the club’s history.

Ryan Brennan’s headed goal in the 24th minute was the least the Seagulls deserved for a dominant first half but that all unravelled as Kurtis Byrne produced a rocket from the blue a minute into the second period.

Both sides had glorious chances to win it but a draw was a worthy result in an entertaining encounter.

Bray’s attacking fluidity was clear to see as early as the fifth minute. Dylan Connolly drifted inside and moved the ball out left for Aaron Greene. Connolly continued his run and Greene’s no-touch cross found him but his glancing header bounced wide.

Greene had a sniff himself a minute later as he scurried after a flick-on but as he waited to tame the bouncing ball, Lee Desmond recovered and applied sufficient pressure to put Greene off his stride and snuff out the danger.

Brennan was next to spurn an opportunity and it was a fantastic one. Keith Buckley bombed forward from right-back and squared the ball inside to McCabe. He caught the Pat’s defence cold with a delicious back-heel that saw the ball roll through for Brennan but he drilled wide from inside the area.

A well-rehearsed free kick routine almost came off on 16 minutes. Greene feigned to cross into the box, McCabe then floated it to the far side of the penalty area where Jason Marks had stealthily arrived but his subsequent cross to the back stick cleared the crossbar.

Bray’s dominance was rewarded in the 24th minute. Greene’s free was nodded back out to Buckley, his cross was teasing and vicious, O’Malley gambled and Brennan profited as he beat O’Malley to it and glanced it to the net.

Wanderers were so secure and so dominant in the first period but their clean sheet was whipped out from under them just seconds into the second half.

Gary McCabe lost the ball to Kurtis Byrne who decided to go it alone and he wholly justified his decision as he unleashed a thunderous drive that torpedoed into the top corner from 22 yards leaving Cherrie with absolutely no chance.

The hosts should have retaken the lead within four minutes. Connolly tore it down the left flank and cut it back to the unmarked Greene but he drilled it the wrong side of the near post from 15 yards out.

Peter Cherrie then had a scare of epic proportions. From the right, Buckley passed it back to him and the Scot looked to move the ball onto his preferred left foot – completely oblivious to the fact that Fagan was closing him down. He eeked it past Fagan and cleared it with an almighty sigh of relief.

There was another rued chance on 55 minutes for the home side. Buckley again delivered the trou- bling cross, Sullivan rose and met it with a downward header but it bounced a yard wide.

A corner almost provided a lead goal for the visitors. Bermingham whipped it into the near post and Lee Desmond peeled off his man to greet it but he got too much on the ball and it looped over the bar.

Buckley saved the day for Bray on the stroke of full time as Kurtis Byrne beat the offside trap and cut it back to Dennehy with the goal at his mercy but Buckley slid in to put it behind.

The hosts still had time to have a man sent off. Jason Marks was booked in the 59th minute so when he tripped Dennehy in the third minute of stoppage time, he knew that he was getting the best of the hot water in the showers.

A muted response met the final whistle. Bray should have won but also could have lost and left with furrowed brows despite their new-found spot in second place – a remarkable indication of how far they have come in Harry Kenny’s tenure.

Bray Wanderers: 1. Peter Cherrie; 6. Keith Buckley, 21. Tim Clancy, 4. Conor Kenna, 23. Jason Marks; 3. John Sullivan, 8. Mark Salmon; 7. Ryan Brennan, 11. Gary McCabe, 16. Dylan Connolly; 9. Aaron Greene. Subs: Anto Flood for Brennan (74). Not used: Lee Steacy, Derek Foran, Darragh Noone, Karl Moore, Jamie Aherne, Ger Pender.

St. Patrick’s Athletic: 1. Conor O’Malley; 2. Michael Barker, 12. Lee Desmond, 13. Rory Feely, 3. Ian Bermingham; 10. Sam Verdon, 6. Pat Cregg; 7. Conan Byrne, 14. Darragh Markey, 18. Kurtis Byrne; 9. Christy Fagan. Subs: Billy Dennehy for Fagan (73); Alex O’Hanlon for C. Byrne (83); Graham Kelly for Markey (88). Not used: Barry Murphy, Jack Bayly, Josh O’Hanlon. Referee: Ben Connolly. Venue: Carlisle Grounds, Bray.