Leinster Senior Cup Report: Bray Wanderers 1 - 3 St. Patrick's Athletic

Saint Patrick’s Athletic advanced to the next round of the Leinster Senior Cup as they dispatched Bray Wanderers 3-1 at the Carlisle Grounds on Sunday afternoon.

 

Both teams had numerous debutants on show, with a late replacement in goal for Bray as Alex Nevin, who was with the under-17s last season, went between the sticks for his senior debut.

 

The opening minutes were controlled by the Saints and it was the away side who had the first shot on goal with former Crystal Palace player Owen Garvan putting the ball just past Alex Nevin's left hand post. It was a sign of things to come for the home side.

 

In the fifth minute, it was Liam Buckley’s team who took the lead wehn an in-swinging free kick from Garvan was perfectly met by the head of former Seagull Ryan Brennan, who guided it into the bottom corner.

 

A minute later they doubled their lead as a free kick from Brennan was met by another new signing in Kevin Toner, who got his head to the ball and powered it into the back of the net.

 



Christy Fagan then made it 3-0 all inside the first ten minutes as Conan Byrne got past Kevin Lynch on the right hand side and pulled the ball back to Fagan who tapped it home into an empty net.

 

The away side were uttterly dominant and should have made it four just before the half-hour mark as Dean Clarke put in a fantastic cross to the back post but Graham Kelly could not direct his header on target.

 

A rare Bray attack was put together just before the end of the first half as strong running from Lynch down the left got him into a fantastic position to pull the ball back for Paul O’Conor but he scuffed his shot past the post.

 



Bray almost made the perfect start to the second half as good work from Gary McCabe down the left led to a pull back for O’Conor, but his effort was deflected over the bar.

 

The Seagulls did pull a goal back when a lucky bounce of the ball fell to the feet of full back Hugh Douglas. He made no mistake smashing the ball home with his left foot to give a glimmer of hope of making a comeback.

 

A fantastic Aaron Greene effort from inside his own half almost brought the tie back within a goal but unluckily for him it lacked dip as it came back off the cross bar and into the hands of the thankful Brian Maher.

 

Good work once again from Greene carved out a decent opportunity for the home side but his shot was well blocked Toner. The rebound fell to McCabe on the edge of the box who blasted over the bar.

 

Pats almost extended the lead when good work from Byrne got him in goal one-on-one with Nevin, but the stand-in keeper did well to narrow down the angle and Byrne’s lobbed effort went wide of the post.

 

Minutes later Byrne was put through again but once again Nevin was up to the test as he closed down the angle and smothered the right-footed effort.

 

Bray Wanderers: Alex Nevin; Hugh Douglas, Kevin Lynch (Shane Flynn 81), Sean Heaney, Paul O’Conor; Corey Galvin, John Sullivan, Aaron Greene, Darragh Gibbons (Ryhs Gorman 64); Gary McCabe, Darragh Noone (Daniel Kelly 64).

Subs not used: Dylan Hayes, Rhys Gorman, Calvin Rogers, Ger Pender, Jake Ellis.

Bookings: None.

 

St. Patrick’s Athletic: Brian Maher; Ian Bermingham, Kevin Toner, Lee Desmond, Owen Garvan; Conan Byrne, Graham Kelly (Darragh Markey 64), Christy Fagan, Ryan Brennan(Jamie Lennon 77); Simon Madden, Dean Clarke (James Doona 64).

Subs not used: Michael Barker, Ian Turner, Michael Leahy.

Bookings: None.

 

Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Owen Garvan (St. Patrick’s Athletc)

 

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