League Preview: Bray Wanderers -v- Galway United

Galway United head to the Carlisle Grounds on Saturday knowing that one point from their final two games will see them play Premier Division football next season. Kick-off is 5.45pm.

BRAY WANDERERS

After such an up and down season, Bray Wanderers have finally confirmed their safety after last night’s results. Four different managers, Dave Cassidy being player-manager twice and a very different line-up, six changes in fact, from the team that lost to Drogheda United at the start of the season to the eleven that drew with Shamrock Rovers last week.

Another last minute goal saw Bray snatch a point from Shamrock Rovers hand as John Sullivan’s header finished the fightback that Hugh Douglas’ earlier goal had started after Rovers took the lead through Mikey Drennan and Maxime Blanchard. It’s the seventh goal that’s come after the 85^th minute and it has seen Bray pick up seven points. They are only six off the bottom.

The fact that seven goals have come late on is particularly surprising, given that they’ve only scored twenty-six so far this season. Their mean defence has made up for the shortcomings in attack though with ten clean sheets this season, with Croly’s reign in particular seeing four during his short six game spell in charge.

It’ll be interesting to see what the future holds for Bray now, and if there was to be stability, what could it bring? The thoughts on plans for next season will have to wait though as first there is the visit of Galway United to contend with.

GALWAY UNITED

Galway will feel they have acquitted themselves well in the Premier Division this year, with the work done off the field being acknowledged as they just won the Pitch of the Year award for 2015. On the field, things have been up and down with regards to form and injuries, although last week’s 0-0 draw with champions Dundalk showed what can be.

The Tribesmen managed once again to take points off of the Lilywhites and it was a credit to a solid defensive performance from Galway that Winn was barely tested. Galway are currently only two points away from safety and the point no doubt helps them, perhaps more for morale after losing to fellow relegation battlers Limerick the week before.

Tommy Dunne spoke to galwayunitedfc.ie about the upcoming Bray match and wanted to “carry the momentum from the Dundalk game into [it]”. The Galway boss continued on, saying, “That’s the level that will be required at the Carlisle Grounds. That level of effort and commitment. We must keep ourselves focused and do everything we can to win the match.”

There will be a few absentees for Galway United for the upcoming game with versatile Stephen Walsh suspended for the match. Killian Cantwell, Alex Byrne, Jason Molloy and Padriac Cunnigham are also all out injured for the Tribesmen as they attempt to secure safety at the seaside.

Referee: Ray Matthews

MATCH STATS

Between them, Galway and Bray have won one game each with Galway handing out a thrashing to Maciej Tarnogrodzki’s side in April as Enda Curran’s hat-trick, along with goals from Ryan Connolly and Padriac Cunnigham, gave them a 5-0 win. The reverse fixture in July saw Bray come out on top with a Sam Oji own goal in the dying minutes separating the sides.

Many would say that the difference between a relegated and a safe side is a clinical striker and Galway have been lucky to call upon two. Enda Curran and Jake Keegan have fired them in from all over and they are both joint-second highest goalscorers in the league with twelve each. For a team that’s only scored 38 goals, it means they have scored nearly two in every three goals as they have account for about 63% of Galway’s goals.

In Mick Cooke’s first six games, starting with the 1-0 win over Derry in July, Bray won four and lost two. However, they haven’t won any of their last seven, picking up three points from a possible twenty-one.

BETTING

Bray Wanderers 13/10; Draw 12/5; Galway United 19/10.

PREDICTION

Bray Wanderers 1-3 Galway United

Bray Wanderers

Injured: None

Doubtful: None

Suspended: None

Galway United

Injured: Alex Byrne, Jason Molloy, Padriac Cunnigham, Killian Cantwell.

Doubtful: None

Suspended: Stephen Walsh.