Credit:
Bray Wanderers 0 - 1 Derry City
- Finbarr O'Sullivan
- Sat, Aug 29 2009
Derry City broke the hearts of Bray Wanderers fans and players as they struck late on to snatch a 1-0 victory at the Carlisle Grounds. In what had seemed to be an even encounter, Gareth McGlynn scored in the 90th minute to take all three points for the Candystripes.
Inside the first ten minutes, the visitors had a succession of corners. On eight minutes, from a James McClean corner, they produced three chances in a row. McClean's ball from the right fell to Ciarán Martyn at the far post. His right-foot strike was blocked by Chris O'Connor.
The ball then rebounded to Tom McManus six yards out but his toe-poked effort was also stopped by O'Connor. The ball was cleared as far as Kevin Deery on the edge of the box. He controlled before curling a shot at the bottom right corner but once again O'Connor was on hand to thwart the Derry attack by tipping the ball round the post.
Wanderers had the next chance on 30 minutes. Gary McCabe played the ball into Gareth Coughlan on the right side of the box. He cut into the box and turned his man before curling an effort goalwards with his left foot. The shot looked promising but it swung wide of Gerard Doherty's far post.
After 33 minutes, City hit the crossbar twice within a minute. After Martyn laid the ball back to Eddie McCallion on the edge of the dee, he knocked it up and hit a right-foot volley. It cracked off the crossbar and bounced up off the goal-line. Gareth McGlynn got to the rebound but his header was straight at the Seagulls' keeper.
A minute later, Mark Farren chested the ball down outside the area. He then volleyed the ball at goal. With O'Connor beaten, the ball struck the crossbar and went back out into play.
Into the second half, it was Derry who started stronger. On 54 minutes, McClean's cross from the left was met by Farren who headed at goal from the penalty spot but his effort was saved by O'Connor.
On the hour mark, Bray’s Derek Pender dribbled for 40-yards and went past three defenders as he charged into the Derry box. Unluckily, when he got there, his shot was weak and went wide of the far post.
Five minutes later, a short corner for Derry nearly led to the opener. Ruaidhri Higgins' played the ball to McClean. McClean crossed from the left and the ball dropped for McManus. McManus caught the ball powerfully with his left foot but his drive went over O'Connor's crossbar.
O'Connor was called into action once more in the 74th minute when he had to stop an own goal. Higgins had played the ball to McClean on the goal-line to the left of the Bray goal. He then crossed but Pender's tackle changed the path of the ball, inadvertently sending it to the Bray goal. A quick reaction from O'Connor saw the Wanderers keeper get down and push the ball out of play.
It was in the 90th minute when the only goal of the game arrived. For what had been a good display of football from both sides, the goal came from a long ball by Gerard Doherty. The ball bounced inside the Bray box before being flicked into the six-yard box by sub Aaron Nash. Gareth McGlynn raced in and beat Chris O'Connor to the ball with a diving header that flew into the Bray goal.
It will be a tough result to swallow for the hosts who will have a right to feel they deserved more from the game. It doesn't get any easier for Bray as they travel to face Bohemians next week. Derry will be buoyed by extending their recent winning run and next week they will host Dundalk.
Bray Wanderers (4-5-1): Chris O'Connor; Dave Webster, Derek Foran, Chris Deans, Derek Pender; Gareth Coughlan (Jake Kelly, 73), Chris Shields, Dave O'Neill, Gary McCabe, Dane Massey; John Flood (Ian McNeill, 84).
Subs not used: Gary Cronin, Ian Tuohy, Brian Kane.
Bookings: Dave Webster (31), Gary McCabe (89).
Derry City (4-4-2): Gerard Doherty; Kevin Deery (Barry Molloy, 56), Ger O'Brien, Peter Hutton, Eddie McCallion; Gareth McGlynn, Ciaran Martyn, Ruaidhri Higgins, James McClean; Mark Farren (Aaron Nash, 84), Tom McManus.
Subs not used: Patrick Jennings, David Scullion, Shane McAleaney.
Bookings: Kevin Deery (46), Gareth McGlynn (90).
Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Chris O'Connor - the Bray keeper did all he could to get his side a point. Despite being slow off his line for the goal, he had a very good game for the hosts.
Referee: Damien Hancock (Dublin).
Attendance: 800 (estimate).
About Finbarr O'Sullivan
Currently working in Brazil, Finbarr will be giving his take on Brazilian football in his regular Extratime.ie column. Finbarr peviously studied in Spain and worked in the Czech Republic and had regular column pieces on …
