League Report: Bray Wanderers 0 - 6 Cork City

Sean O’Connor reports from the Carlisle Grounds.

Cork City put on a devastating second half display and hit four goals in six minutes to go top of the First Division on Friday night.

As Storm Eunice passed through the Carlisle Grounds, Bray endured an absolutely torrid evening. A first half strike from Dylan McGlade set the tone for the game. Four second half goals in quick succession put the contest to bed, before Ruairi Keating’s deflected strike made it six.

Cork came into Friday’s opener unbeaten in their previous eleven against the hosts. Before last season, Bray had lost eight on the bounce against City.

Pat Devlin named ten new signings in his starting XI, including striker Dean Zambra who arrived from Longford. Bray were without Kevin Knight and Conor Clifford through injury, while the visitors were without the services of Gordon Walker, George Heaven and Alec Byrne.

After the excitement around the league opener, the night got off to a disappointing start as sections of both fans threw flares onto the field. Idiotic behaviour that hopefully, won’t become a regular occurrence this year.

Once the football got underway, the hosts started brilliantly with Kurtis Byrne going close early on.

Cork went agonizingly close early on, as Rob Manley cleared an effort off the Bray goal line on eight minutes.

Vilius Labutis’ strike from the edge of the area went inches wide on the ten-minute mark. Zak O’Neill had a great opportunity to put the hosts ahead after twenty minutes but sliced his effort.



McGuinness almost had a moment to forget mid-way through the half after he spilled Cian Bargary’s strike before the keeper gathered.

City’s first league goal of 2022 went to McGlade just after the half-hour mark. McGlade opened the scoring after Cian Murphy flicked the ball on brilliantly.

Murphy should have made it 2-0 just before the break, but his close-range effort was well saved by McGuinness. After two early chances for the hosts, Cork dominated for majority of the half and were full value for their lead.

Bray’s final chance of the first half came through Labutis, but David Harrington was equal to it.

After a lengthy delay due to some crowd trouble, the second half got underway with an early chance for the hosts. Keith Dalton’s cross was initially misjudged by Harrington, but the goalkeeper recovered well.

Byrne went close five minutes later, but his effort went wide of Harrington’s post. Daniel Blackbyrne almost found an equaliser but could only find the side netting from a Byrne corner.



Despite their bright start, it was the Rebel Army who struck again just before the hour mark. Barry Coffey went on a darting run through the Bray midfield and sent a low driving effort past McGuinness and into the bottom corner.

Colin Healy’s side did not stop there, and firmly put the game to bed with three superb goals in the following three minutes.

Coffey scored his second of the night after getting on the end of a cross from O’Connor. Dylan McGlade then struck twice to send the away support wild.

The forward sent a low strike past McGuinness to put City four ahead, before he made it a hat-trick with a delicious chip from the edge of the box.

As Pat Devlin’s side totally capitulated, City made it six with fifteen minutes remaining. Keating broke through Bray’s defence and drove his shot past McGuinness, with the help of a small deflection.

Bray, to their credit pressed on but had no answer for Cork’s dominance. Dalton produced Bray’s only chance of the remainder, but Harrington got down quickly to save.

Bray travel south to face Waterford next Friday, while Cork, buoyed by their impressive display on Friday, host Galway United at Turners Cross.

Bray Wanderers: Stephen McGuinness; Hugh Douglas (c), Keith Dalton (Darragh Lynch 86), Sean Callan (Jack Hudson 35), Daniel Blackbyrne; Paul Fox, Dean Casey, Dean Zambra (Conor Knight 66); Zak O'Neill (Eoin Massey 66), Rob Manley (Callum Thompson 86), Kurtis Byrne.

Subs not used: Michael Kelly, Vilius Labutis, Ugo Anny Nzekwue, Eoin McPhillips.
Booked: Zak O'Neill (29), Eoin Massey (90).
Sent off: None.

Cork City: David Harrington; Kevin O'Connor, Jonas Hakkinen (Uniss Kargbo 79), Ally Gilchrist, Cian Coleman (c); Dylan McGlade (James Doona 71), Barry Coffey (Matt Srbely 79), Aaron Bolger (Matt Healy 71), Cian Bargary (Darragh Crowley 79); Cian Murphy, Ruairi Keating.

Subs not used: Jimmy Corcoran, Josh Honohan, Ronan Hurley, Oran Crowe.
Booked: None.
Sent off: None.

Referee: Gavin Colfer
extratime.com Player of the Match: Dylan McGlade (Cork City)

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