16-year-old Seagulls keeper Minogue hoping Bray can bounce back quickly

Bray Wanderers travel to Sligo on Saturday evening with the Seagulls stuck bottom of the Premier Division, facing First Division football next season. 

12 points behind Limerick with four games remaining, Wanderers would need something close to a miracle to stay up. However, with new owners insitu at the club and a feel good factor returning to the Carlisle Grounds after a couple of very difficult seasons, there isn’t too much doom and gloom out in Bray.

With the departure of some players during the season, it has given some of Bray’s younger players an opportunity to come into the team.

Gavin Bazunu isn’t the only 16-year-old goalkeeper to make his League of Ireland debut this season. Having been on the bench for a number of games in July and August, Bray brought Enda Minogue into goal back in August with Gary Cronin handing him his senior debut when Bray took on Dundalk.

“Obviously getting the call in the warm-up was a shock with Evan Moran not feeling 100%,” admitted Moran when extratime.ie caught up with the ‘keeper recently.

“But I felt confident I could do a good job for the team and I was delighted Gary had the confidence in me. It doesn’t get much harder than Dundalk too so the experience overall was great.”

Minogue performed admirably that evening although Bray did lost the match 3-1. The goalkeeper has been part of a strong Bray Wanderers u17 side that have been up towards the top of the Southern Elite League table this season.

The 16-year-old wasn’t always a goalkeeper but once he was handed the number one jersey he never looked back.  “I was actually a striker up until u11s but the team needed a goalkeeper so I stepped in and just loved it.”

The teenager has to juggle school with training and games. His match night routine is so “school then home and I’d eat a few hours before the match. Then it’s off to the Carlisle Grounds nice and early.”

Minogue will continue to play with Bray’s underage teams and hopes that he will get more opportunities to line out with the first team in the future. 



“Seeing as I’ll be 17 years old next year, I’d like to have a strong season with the u17’s as an older player and hopefully look to push for games in the First team too. 

Here’s hoping we can bounce back next season.” 

    About Gareth Danaher

    Gareth joined Extratime.ie in September 2018 and he is a passionate Bray Wanderers fan travelling to home and away games, he also supports Everton. One of his passions is also giving his time to run … View Full Profile