Season Preview 2024: Bray Wanderers

Carlisle Grounds

Carlisle Grounds Credit: Timmy Keane (ETPhotos)

Head Coach: Ian Ryan 

 

Stadium: Carlisle Grounds 

Players In: Kieran Cruise (Shamrock Rovers), Freddie Turley (Shamrock Rovers - loan), Jimmy Corcoran (Cork City), Evan Osam (UCD), Kilian Cantwell (Waterford), Cristian Magerusan (Longford Town), Shane Griffin (Waterford), Peter Grogan (Bohemians U19), Ben Clark (UCD), Jamie Duggan (UCD), Josh McGlone (Athlone Town), Paul Murphy (Gorey Rangers).

Players Out: Yoyo Mahdy (Treaty United), Alex Moody (Wexford), Chris Lyons (Longford Town), Conor Crowley (Longford Town), Dane Massey (Retired), Sean Quinn (Lucan United), Jack Hudson (Albion Rovers), Conor Davis, David Webster (Drogheda United), Jake Walker, Ben Clarke (Crumlin United), Matthew Connor (Waterford - end of loan), Nadre Butcher, Len O'Sullivan (Glenavon).

Re-signed: Ben Feeney, Cole Omorehiomwan, Harry Groome, Guillermo Almirall, Callum Thompson, Max Murphy, Darren Craven, Stephen McGuinness, Alain Kizenga, Zach Nolan, Daniel Chukwu, Conor Knight, Thomas Morgan

extratime.com Key Player: Cole Omorehiomwan

The fan favourite. The colossus at the heart of Bray’s defence. The 2023 Player of the Season. Cole is absolutely adored by all at the Carlisle and was insurmountable last year in his first year at the club. 

Griffin and Magerusan are perhaps more talented than the 21-year-old, however Cole’s influence is invaluable to Bray.  

His dominance in the air is his best asset and the subsequent threat that he provides from set-pieces was vital to the Wanderers in 2023. Cole contributed six goals from centre-back and even featured as an auxiliary striker at times, such was the chaos he could create in the opposition box. 



The resigning of Omorehiomwan was one of the highlights of a very enterprising window for the Wanderers. 

extratime.com One to Watch: Harry Groome

Bray have signed the likes of Shane Griffin, Cristian Magerusan and Killian Cantwell; however, these players and their qualities would be too renowned to include in this category. 

Youngsters Freddie Turley and Kieran Cruise were also considered, and it was a toss-up between Turley and Groome. 

As mentioned on The extratime Football Podcast, Harry Groome could be one to watch this year. The 22-year-old midfielder had a strong first season at the Carlisle last year and has probably gone under most people's radar. 

His energy and drive from midfield were one of the only shining lights for the Seagulls last season. Harry's ability to carry the ball forward and create chances make him one of the standout players in Ian Ryan's side. 



The former Wexford man bagged 4 goals and 2 assists last season and with his eye for goal, he has the potential to improve on that again this season. 

With the arrival of Shane Griffin, we could see Groome play in a wide and thus more advanced role over the coming season.

How they did last season:

League: 7th 

Ian Ryan’s first year in charge could not have started any better, with the Seagulls starting the season with a six-game unbeaten run. Ben Feeney and Cole Omorehiomwan displayed fine form throughout this run of games. 

Bray won two of their following seven games before beating Kerry, the only team the Wanderers would beat in the league over the next four months. Victories over the newcomers accounted for 40% of Bray’s First Division wins last season. 

Low points of the season included a 6-0 home loss to Galway as well as a 3-0 home defeat to rivals Wexford, when Bray finished with nine men. 

Added time was not a friend of the club last season with Bray throwing away multiple leads in the dying seconds of games. Two goal leads were squandered against Athlone and Treaty at the Carlisle Grounds, costing the Seagulls valuable points in the race for a playoff spot. 

Longford came from two goals behind against Bray not once, but twice. The first occasion was at the Carlisle in August. Bray were two goals to the good after just over an hour when Longford’s comeback began. Magerusan bagged the first of four Longford goals in the space of half an hour. Bray had only won one of their previous ten and fans left the Carlisle very disappointed, having been 2-0 ahead. 

In Bray’s penultimate fixture of the season, they looked to be home and dry heading into the final 20 minutes at Bishopsgate thanks to a Darren Craven brace. Longford pulled a goal back late on through Francis Campbell before Dylan Hand rescued a point at the death. 

This was the final nail in the coffin for Bray’s playoff hopes, having won their previous two games. 

Bray finished three points off fifth placed Athlone. A playoff spot was within their reach if they held on against Longford. 

Bray drew their final game against Finn Harps on an awfully blustery night by the seaside, when 15-year-old Billy O’Neill became the club’s youngest ever player.

FAI Cup: Second Round 

Bray failed to make serious inroads into the FAI Cup in 2023, falling at the first hurdle that is the second round. However, Bray put in a spirited performance at home against the Lilywhites. Ian Ryan’s men were in the game for most of the 90 minutes with the game deadlocked after Connor Malley’s first half missed penalty. 

Former Ireland International Daryl Horgan scored the game’s only goal with three minutes of normal time remaining, to break the hearts of the Carlisle faithful. Hopefully a prosperous campaign can ensue for the Wanderers this season. 

What to expect this season:

With Bray being priced as second favourites for the league by most bookmakers and having signed strongly over the break; making the playoffs is an absolute must this season. 

Consecutive seventh place finishes have been received unfavourably by supporters of the Seagulls with attendances at the Carlisle falling off a cliff towards the end of 2023. Bray have done some of their best business in years this transfer window. 

Their main signings include Jimmy Corcoran, Killian Cantwell, Cristian Magerusan from Longford Town and midfield maestro Shane Griffin. 

Evan Osam was poached from fellow promotion hopefuls UCD along with Jamie Duggan. Shamrock Rovers duo Freddie Turley and Kieran Cruise have also been signed. The core of young talent in last year's squad have been re-signed.

Major departures include veterans Dane Massey and Dave Webster, as well as Chris Lyons, Jack Hudson and goalkeeping duo Alex Moody and Matthew Connor.

All in all, the Wanderers have gone about their business quite effectively as they have reinforced in weak positions, whilst also weakening their rivals’ squads. 

This strong squad that the club’s management have assembled is more than capable of finishing in a high playoff spot in 2024.

First Game:

The Seagulls welcome UCD to the Carlisle Grounds on Friday the 16th of February for the shortest away trip in the division. 

Having signed three reinforcements from the Students, Ian Ryan will be keen to lay down a marker against his former team. Bray will be looking to continue their strong run of form from pre-season and start the season in a similar fashion to 2023.

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