Derry City 1 - 1 Bray Wanderers

A screaming second half effort from Daire Doyle cancelled out Patrick McEleney's first league goal of the season in a rather turgid affair at The Brandywell.

The game was played in windy conditions which made it very difficult for either to team to muster any fluidity to their play. It may be a cliché but this was definitely a game of two halves, with Derry having the wind advantage in the first period and Bray benefiting from it in the second half.

Barry Molloy returned after two months to captain Derry City in Kevin Deery's (calf) absence, and Emmet Friars, who incidentally is getting married tomorrow, came in to replace the suspended Daniel Lafferty. Thomas McBride also came in to cover the suspended Shane McEleney.

Bray also had a different look about them, as Joe Kendrick, Daire Doyle, John Mulroy and Chris Shields all came into the starting line up.

In what was a very scrappy first half, there was nothing of great note to report until the 26th minute when James McClean took the ball on halfway, beating his man for pace and cut the ball back from the by-line where Patrick McEleney was able to dispatch an easy finish.

The remainder of the first half saw each side negate the other in midfield, which was as much due to the stormy conditions as any poor play.

At the start of the second half Bray had a period of extended pressure where both Chris Shields and Adam Mitchell went close with headers. Shortly after this Emmet Friars was the first name in Tom Connolly’s notebook for a scything challenge on Dean Zambra who was then replaced by Sean Houston.

Then came what can only be described as a “Howitzer” of a strike in the 67th minute when Daire Doyle picked the ball up on the right and closed in before letting fly from all of 25 yards into the top corner, with Gerard Doherty rooted to the spot. It was a truly outstanding strike and one which Doyle should treasure for many a year.

The rest of the game was played out fairly tamely, with Stephen Kenny bringing on Ryan McBride for Emmet Friars and David McDaid for Patrick McEleney.

All in all it must be said a draw was a fair result in a game effected badly by the wind and both Stephen Kenny and Pat Devlin could have no complaints at the final whistle.

Derry City: Gerard Doherty; Eddie McCallion, Stewart Greacen, Barry Molloy(c), Emmett Friars (Ryan McBride 70); Ruaidrhi Higgins, Thomas McBride, Gareth McGlynn, James McLean; Patrick McEleney (David McDaid 77), Eamon Zayed.
Subs not used: Ruairi Harkin, Stephen McLaughlin, Rory Kelly, Stephen Parkhouse, Michael McCrudden.
Booked: Friars (61),  Zayed (85).

Bray Wanderers: Matt Gregg; Shane O’Connor, Joe Kendrick, Adam Mitchell, Derek Prendergast; Gary Dempsey(c), Dean Zambra (Sean Houston 64), Daire Doyle, Chris Shields; John Mulroy,  Jake Kelly.
Subs not used: Shane O’Neill, Stephen Last, Dane Massey, Graham Kelly, Dan McGuinness, Brian Kane.
Booked: S O’Connor (75).

Referee: Tom Connolly.
Attendance: 1,894
extratime.ie Man of the match: Gary Dempsey.