Drogheda United -v- Bray Wanderers

• P.J. Murray
• Fri, Oct 14 2011




Bray Wanderers make the Dart trip to Hunky Dorys Park on Friday night for what is the Boynesiders penultimate home match. (kick off 7:45pm)

 

Drogheda United’s Premier Division safety has been secured and the Louth team are now focused very much on next season. Mick Cooke has stated that he wants to use these final games to assess who he will be retaining for the 2012 campaign.

 

Bray Wanderers have performed above any and all expectations this season and will want to maintain their sixth place position. They cannot catch Bohemians, but Dundalk lurk menacingly behind and can still leap frog the Seasiders.

 

In their four meetings this year, Drogheda have won two and Bray have won two. Neither team has managed to win any of their home games, which doesn’t bode well for Mick Cooke’s team.

 

A win for Drogheda in the EA Sports Cup at the start of the season looked to set the tone for Bray’s year, but with the youngest squad in the league they raised many an eyebrow with their carefree style of football and caused several shocks by beating Bohs and several other big sides.

 

Drogheda come into this game on the back of a hard fought win against a Galway side who are preparing for a promotion/relegation play-off. The visitors dominated but fell behind before Dinny Corcoran leveled matters. Things looked to get worse for Drogheda when Alan McNally was dismissed, but a Galway OG gave Drogheda more than they deserved.

 

A highly understrength Bray nearly blew the title race wide open again as they looked to be holding Shamrock Rovers to a 1-1 draw when they conceded in the 88th minute. Pat Devlin feels, and rightly so, that his side were unlucky to come away with a point. But he was pleased in the manner which his team preformed and he looks to have something to build on for next season.

 

Mick Cooke won’t be taking this Bray side lightly, “We are coming to the end of a tough and long season, but I will still be expecting my players to put in a good effort. They did well last week against a tough Galway side. 

 

Bray will be no pushovers and they will be playing to consolidate their position in the table. But we will be going out to win, my goal for the rest of the season is to get as many points from these remaining games as possible.”

 

Drogheda will be without the services of the suspended Alan McNally, but welcome back Brian Gannon. Jack Flynn and Colin O'Brien remain out for the rest of the season. Bray however will be boosted by the return of Adam Mitchell and Jake Kelly who were suspended for the Rovers game, and Conor Butler is added to the travelling party. Pat Devlin may have to plan without the trio of Derek Prendergast, Seán Houston and Shane O’Connor who are all still carrying knocks.

 

Devlin is looking forward to the game, “Drogheda will be looking for points just as we will, so it should be an open game and free flowing."

 

Drogheda United

Injured: Jack Flynn, Colm O’Brien

Doubtful: None

Suspended: Alan McNally

 

Bray Wanderers

Injured:  None

Doubtful: Derek Prendergast, Seán Houston and Shane O’Connor

Suspended: None

 

Paddypower Odds: Drogheda United 3/1, Draw 9/4, Bray Wanderers 5/6

Extratime.ie Prediction: This has draw written all over it, 1-1 here.