League Preview: Bray Wanderers -v- Galway United

BRAY WANDERERS

The Seagulls take on Galway United on Monday evening at 7.45pm in a rearranged fixture due to the UEFA Under-17 European Championship games that took place earlier in the month at the Carlisle Grounds.

Bray come into this match on a high after beating ten man Athlone Town 5-0 on Friday night in the Midlands.

Dylan Barnett, Joe Doyle and Sean Heaney all scored to give the Wanderers a 3-0 half time lead and they should really have led by four but Dylan McGlade had his penalty saved by Athlone ‘keeper Aaron Myles.

The Seagulls will be looking to beat Galway for a second time this season as they earned a 1-0 win in Eamonn Deacy Park back in March. Dean O’Halloran wrapped up all three points for Bray that night.

The last few games for Bray have been a mix and match with two loses, one draw and two victories. The losses came against Longford Town and Limerick, the draw with Cabinteely at the Carlisle Grounds while they beat Drogheda United and Athlone most recently.

Defender Darragh Gibbons still remains injured with a hamstring strain.

GALWAY UNITED

Alan Murphy’s side recorded a 2-1 win against Longford Town on Friday night at Eamonn Deacy Park.

Galway veteran Vinny Faherty headed home the two goals to seal all three points.

Murphy has seen his side pick up three wins from their last four league games, but he expects a challenge when his United side travel to the seaside for this fixture.

 “The Longford win gave us a real injection of confidence,” Murphy told www.galwayunitedfc.ie.

“The bodies will still be in recovery mode when we travel to Bray on Monday, but we’ll be going there with a lot of confidence.

“We’re not going to take the task lightly. We know that Bray have a strong squad. That was showcased when they put Athlone to the sword at the weekend. They were comfortable winners and they won’t have overly exerted themselves too much.

“We’re taking every game as it comes. At the moment, we’re not overly concentrating on the league table. We’re in a period of transition, we’re just looking for good performances, which will hopefully lead to results.

“Monday will be a real challenge for our squad. We have a group full of inexperienced players, but they’re complimented by a few experienced players. We have a good mix of players with the right attitudes.”

Referee: Alan Carey

MATCH STATS

Bray haven’t lost to Galway in their last five meetings while picking up four wins and drawing once.

Galway’s biggest win against Bray came in 2015 when Galway put five passed the Seagulls at their home ground. Enda Curran picked up a hat-trick that day.

BETTING

Bray Wanderers 8/13; Draw 11/4; Galway United 9/2.

PREDICTION

Bray Wanderers 1-1 Galway United

Bray Wanderers

Injured: Darragh Gibbons.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

Galway United

Injured: Conor Layng (cruciate ligament), Andrew Peters (ankle), Adam Rooney (foot) and Joe Collins (knee).

Doubtful: Conor Barry, Jeff McGowan.

Suspended: Dara Costelloe