Report: Bray Wanderers 1 - 0 Drogheda United

Bray Wanderers continued their fine run of late with another 1-0 win over Drogheda United at the Carlisle Grounds tonight.

Patrick Kavanagh got the only goal as he celebrated his recent SWAI Player of the Month award. Bray were on the back-foot for most of the 90 minutes as Drogheda pushed for an equaliser and the game burst into life early on in controversial circumstances. In the second minute, Drogheda had a golden chance. Joe Kendrick broke down the left wing and crossed into the box. Adam Hughes was unmarked on the far post and headed across goal, past keeper Chris O’Connor.

However, defender Derek Foran was on the line to stop the ball, clearly using his hand in the process. Despite the Drogheda players’ protests, referee Paul Tuite waved play on, denying Drogheda a penalty. Bray were doubly lucky, as it would have been a straight red for the offending Foran.

In the 27th minute, Drogheda created another chance. Richie Baker dribbled down the right and crossed into the box. The ball eventually broke to Hughes who fired goalwards, but O’Connor was on hand to stop the effort with his feet.

Five minutes later, Drogs once again created a chance down the wing. Following good link-up play by Tony Grant and Aidan O’Keeffe, the ball was worked out wide to Kendrick. The full-back hit a cross into the box but a brilliant tackle by Kevin Doherty cleared the danger for Bray.

Against the run of play, Bray took the lead on 37 minutes. Following a Drogheda free-kick in the right-back position, Stuart Byrne played the ball across his defence. No Drogheda player was near, and it was Bray’s Patrick Kavanagh who picked up the ball. The winger advanced on goal and drew keeper Jamie Ewings. Kavanagh kept his cool to fire across Ewings and give Bray an unlikely half-time lead.

Three minutes into the second half, Drogs were awarded a free on the edge of the ‘D‘. Richie Baker stepped up and his sweetly-struck effort cracked back off the crossbar and was cleared by the Bray defence. On 59 minutes, Bray’s only chance of the second half came when the ball fell to sub Paul Dunphy. From thirty yards out, he struck the ball powerfully but his strike went inches over.

In the 62nd minutes, it was Drogheda’s turn to shoot from distance. After a quick free-kick, Baker played the ball to Jason Gavin. The defender took a touch before firing at goal but keeper O’Connor was on hand to save comfortably.

In the 67th minute, Drogheda once again threatened. Stuart Byrne attacked down the right and his cross into the box was headed just wide by O’Keeffe.

Drogheda piled on the pressure in the final twenty minutes. From a deflected Joe Kendrick free-kick, Hughes headed at goal but Kevin Doherty blocked it on the line. Seconds later, from a Richie Baker cross, O’Brien headed over from six yards out.

Later on, Declan O’Brien hit the post. Baker did well to turn his man and cross from the right-hand side. O’Brien met the cross with a diving header but his effort struck the foot of the post.

Drogheda even had a late effort from Shane Robinson ruled out for handball but Bray held on for their fourth consecutive win and move up to fourth in the table. They travel to Sligo Rovers next week. Drogheda will feel hard done by and will undoubtedly look to turn things around against St. Patrick’s Athletic next week.

Bray Wanderers: Chris O'Connor; Derek Pender, Derek Foran, Kevin Doherty, Gary Cronin; Gavin Whelan, Alan Cawley, Colm Tresson, Gary McCabe (Paul Dunphy 58); Paddy Kavanagh, Ger Rowe.
Subs not used: Gavin McInerney, Ronan Ivory, Ray Kenny, Andy Myler.

Bookings: McCabe (48), Rowe (73)

Drogheda United: Jamie Ewings; Stuart Byrne, Jason Gavin, Graham Gartland, Joe Kendrick; Adam Hughes, Shane Robinson, Ollie Cahill; Richie Baker (Eamon Zayed 84), Aidan O’Keeffe (Paul Keegan 71), Tony Grant (Declan O‘Brien 61).
Subs not used: Mikko Vilmunen, Shane Barrett.

Bookings: None.

Referee: Paul Tuite (Dublin).
Attendance: 1,800 (estimate).
Man of the match: Kevin Doherty (Bray Wanderers).