Bray Wanderers -v- Limerick FC

BRAY WANDERERS

Bray Wanderers welcome Limerick FC to the Carlisle Grounds on Sunday afternoon hoping that the trauma of last weekend’s 7-0 defeat at Shamrock Rovers is something that they have put behind them.

Pat Devlin was unequivocal in his response to the heavy defeat in Tallaght. “There is no describing how everybody involved in the Club felt after the game. It is unacceptable but we have to take it on the chin and move on”. A quick recovery will be essential against a Limerick side that have performed well so far and are more than capable of causing the Seagulls three points worth of problems.

The stark reality for the Bray faithful is that their side haven’t won since the opening night of the season when they beat fellow strugglers Shelbourne 1-0. Since then five defeats and just a single draw have followed, leaving them third bottom of the table with four points. Worryingly, Bray haven’t scored in any of their last three matches.

As if their form wasn’t enough of an issue, Bray’s preparations have been hampered by something of an injury crisis. Seven first team players are cited as being ‘doubtful’ for the game, a list that includes Jason Byrne, Adam Mitchell, Daire Doyle, Kevin Knight and the three O’Connors, Kevin, Danny and Shane.

“Limerick have done well since their return to the top flight”, said Devlin, “and with our injury crisis it's going to be very difficult. However we will get on with the job in hand".

LIMERICK FC

Stuart Taylor’s Limerick side have performed well since their return to the Premier Division, gathering ten points from their opening eight league games and settling in to seventh place as of the start of the weekend fixtures.

Draws against Cork City and Drogheda United were followed by a win over UCD and a defeat at Sligo Rovers. Their first home defeat of the season came next, against St Patrick’s Athletic, and they have remained unbeaten in the three games since then.

One positive aspect of Limerick’s season has been their consistency in hitting the net. They have failed to score in just two games but the keeping of just one clean sheet somewhat counter-balances this. But if there is any one issue to worry the Blues it must be the propensity to draw games, having tied half their league games and won just two, against UCD and Bohemians.

Given the current state of the league table Taylor will no doubt see the importance of taking six points from their next two games - against Bray and Shelbourne - if they are to have genuine ambitions of troubling the upper reaches of the Premier Division table. How close they come to this will be an interesting barometer of their credentials.

Referee: Graham Kelly.

MATCH STATS

Bray have scored just four league goals so far in 2013 and of those, Jason Byrne has bagged three of them.

Limerick have managed 11 league goals thus far but no one player has scored more than two.

These teams last met in the League in 2004. Each team won on their home ground with the third game, played at the carlisle Grounds ending in a scoreless draw.

BETTING

Bray 12/5; Draw 9/4; Limerick 11/10.

PREDICTION

Bray Wanderers 0-2 Limerick FC

Bray Wanderers

Injured: None.
Doubtful: Danny O’Connor, Shane O’Connor, Kevin O’Connor, Adam Mitchell, Kevin Knight, Daire Doyle, Jason Byrne.
Suspended: None.

Limerick FC

Injured: Unavailable.
Doubtful: Unavailable.
Suspended: Patrick Nzuzi.