Bray win out west
Kenny delighted as Seagulls get the better of Galway
BRAY WANDERERS claimed backto-back victories for the first time since April as they overcame a tame Galway United side in Connacht on Friday evening.
Anto Flood and Mark Salmon set the Seagulls on the road to victory with two goals inside the opening half an hour and it was smooth sailing for Harry Kenny’s troops despite Stephen Folan’s 78th minute effort.
The odds were heavily stacked in the Co. Wicklow club’s favour as they travelled to Terryland Park as a side in the top three about to do battle with a side in the bottom three.
There were two tactical changes implemented by Kenny; Darragh Noone and Derek Foran found themselves benched and replaced by John Sullivan and Keith Buckley. Ex-Gypsy Buckley slotted into his new-found right-back spot which saw Douglas shift to centre half. Having returned from suspension, Dylan Connolly’s presence amongst the substitutes was a big talking point as the Dundalk target failed to make an immediate return to the starting XI.
Bray did all of the early probing and kept Conor Winn on his toes before finding a way past him in the 18th minute. Gary McCabe decided to share goalscoring duties as he delivered a cross that found the unmarked Anto Flood and he wasn’t about to miss from there as he bagged his first goal for the club since March 3rd.
It took Wanderers eight minutes to double their advantage but they thought they had done it even quicker as McCabe’s deep free was headed home by skipper Conor Kenna.
An offside flag meant that Bray’s cushion remained at a single goal but Mark Salmon quickly changed that.
Buckley had roved forward down the right flank and he picked out Salmon with his centre who calmly dispatched it from 15 yards.
Sandwiched between Bray’s strikes, United debutant Eoin McCormack almost levelled the tie. Galway chipped the ball out of defence and the Bray defence seemed to hesitate. McCormack sniffed blood and nipped in and clipped the ball over Peter Cherrie but it bobbled wide of the Scot’s goal.
Shane Keegan’s men could have halved the deficit before the interval. Ronan Murray played a quick free kick to Gavan Holohan and he lofted a cross into the middle.
Padraic Cunnigham got on the end of it but aimed his strike right down Peter Cherrie’s shot and the shot-stopper dealt with the situation.
The onus was all on the hosts to attack in the second period and Wanderers almost killed off the tie with a counter attack. Aaron Greene’s pace inevitably played its part and it was his cross – ever so slightly overhit – that Ryan Brennan was millimetres from converting at the back post.
Galway were huffing and puffing but didn’t look in any danger of blowing Harry Kenny’s house down until the 78th minute when a clean sheet slipped through Cherrie’s fingers. Ronan Murray delivered a corner and Stephen Folan was afforded too much space and he powered home a header.
Kenny’s heart would have been pumping hard in his chest as his much-maligned defence had 12 minutes left to survive but they did so unscathed to collect their 10th league win of the season.
Wins in Galway are all well and good but the acid test for Bray’s progress will come on Friday as they host Dundalk.
The Lilywhites currently hold a seven point advantage over the Seagulls in second spot so maximum points is a must at the Carlisle Grounds if Bray wish to claw the Co. Louth side back.
Scorers - Galway United 1 (Folan 78), Bray Wanderers 2 (Flood 18, Salmon 26).
Bray Wanderers: 1. Peter Cherrie; 8, Keith Buckley, 2. Hugh Douglas, 4. Conor Kenna, 19. Kevin Lynch; 3. John Sullivan, 7. Ryan Brennan, 11. Gary McCabe, 9. Aaron Greene; 20. Anthony Flood. Subs: Dylan Connolly for Flood (68); Jason Marks for McCabe (84). Not used: Lee Steacy, Tim Clancy, Derek Foran, Darragh Noone, Ger Pender.
Galway United: 1. Conor Winn;
2. Colm Horgan, 57. Stephen Folan, 5. Lee Grace; 17. Gary Shanahan, 7. Gavan Holohan,
19. Ronan Murray, 8. David Cawley, 21. Gary Kinneen; 9. Padraic Cunnigham, 22. Eoin McCormack. Subs: Kevin Devaney for McCormack (70); Vinny Faherty for Cunningham (75); Conor Melody for Shanahan (76). Not used: James Tierney, Paul Sinnott, Alex Byrne, Aaron Conway.
Referee: Paul Tuite.
If his side can pass massive upcoming tests against Dundalk and Cork City, then Harry Kenny might finally begin to contemplate European football.
He oversaw a straightforward 1-2 success in Terryland Park on Friday evening which saw Bray open up a five-point gap on fifth placed Derry City but the breathing space between themselves and Shamrock Rovers is just a single point.
And that’s why Kenny won’t be eyeing up any European prize money just yet.
“We try not to mention this whole Europe thing, the only place I’m going to in Europe is on my holidays.
“We’re just taking each game as it comes and I genuinely mean that, like we would have been happy to stay away from the relegation at the start of the season so I’m delighted with where we are.”
Friday’s victory over the Tribesmen was the first time that the Seagulls had strung together successive victories since April but continuing that momentum will be tough with Dundalk and Cork City the next two sides on Bray’s radar.
“We have two really tough games coming up in Dundalk and Cork if we get results there we might start talking about Europe but up until now, no way.”
The Lilywhites roll into town on Friday for a 7:45pm kick-off and Kenny has pleaded with the town of Bray and its surrounding areas to support his high-fliers.