Bray Wanderers -v- Cork City

BRAY WANDERERS

Bray are having a tough time of it at the moment and badly need a positive result against a  Cork City side who have troubles of their own.

The stats don’t make happy reading for Bray fans who haven’t seen their team win since the opening night of the season. Following Friday night’s defeat to Bohemians, the Seagulls have lost five on the spin and have taken just one point from tha last 24 available.

The news is just as bad when you look at the goal charts with Bray having scored in just one of their last five outings and in their last three games the Bray defence have let in a remarkable 14 goals.

Pat Devlin also has to contend with several absentees with defender Adam Mitchell some way from fitness and the O’Connors, Shane and Kevin, struggling to make it for Monday night’s kick-off. Gary Dempsey and Conor Earley also picked up knocks on Friday night and decisions on their availability won’t be made until shortly before the game starts.

CORK CITY

Cork City will be looking to banish memories of Friday night’s defeat to Dundalk in Oriel Park when they travel to Bray on Monday. Manager Tommy Dunne described the performance as “probably the worst performance we have had in quite a while”.

Expanding on the Dundalk game Dunne admitted, “We have been playing reasonably well at times, but last night we looked like were out-muscled and outfought, and we were beaten in every aspect of the game”.

The reverse in Dundalk was City’s third defeat of the league season and they have now won just one of their last seven league outings. But it has been the concession of late goals that have most dramatically affected City’s season with seven points having been surrendered to last minute league goals, while a 93rd minute goal by Shamrock Rovers dumped them out of the Setanta Cup.

Dunne insisted that his side need to turn things around at the Carlisle Grounds saying, “we have to look to Monday night to kick start our season, because if it continues the way it has done then we are going to have a tough year. We have to get going, we have to pick up three points and we have to get back to trying to dominate matches”

He will have to do so without defenders Kevin Murray and Dan Murray, while Darren Dennehy and John Dunleavy are also doubtful having missed the Dundalk game with a throat infection and tonsilitis respectively. Striker Daryl Kavanagh may also miss out as he suffered a minor hamstring problem after the match in Oriel Park.

Referee: Tom Connolly.

MATCH STATS

Shamrock Rovers scored more goals in one game against Bray Wanderers (winning 7-0 on April 12th) than Bray have scored in all of their games to date (6). 

Cork City came out on top in the three meetings between these sides last season winning 3-0 at the Carlisle Grounds. They also won 2-0 at Turner’s Cross while a third game in Cork finished 1-1.

In 15 league and Setanta Cup games this season, Cork City have failed to score just once, in the league opener away to Limerick.

BETTING

Bray 2/1; Draw 9/4; Cork 5/4.

PREDICTION

Bray Wanderers 1-2 Cork City.

Bray Wanderers

Injured: Adam Mitchell, Shane O’Connor, Kevin O’Connor.
Doubtful: Gary Dempsey, Conor Earley.
Suspended: None.

Cork City

Injured: Brian Lenihan, Kevin Murray.
Doubtful: Daryl Kavanagh, Darren Dennehy, John Dunleavy.
Unavailable: Dan Murray.
Suspended: None.