- Alan Finn
- Sat, Jul 07 2012
Bray Wanderers and Sligo Rovers played out an entertaining game in The Showgrounds on Saturday afternoon the visitors held the League leaders to a 1-1 draw.
After dominating the game from kick-off, it took 25 minutes for Rovers to really threaten Darren Quigley's goal when Danny North played Rafael Cretaro through whose placed shot almost found its intended target, but instead bounced off the post and out of play.
Although there wasn't any dirty tackles in the first half, referee Graham Kelly flashed the yellow card four times in the space of 12 minutes, with three Danny O'Connor, Kevin O'Connor and Adam Mitchell of Bray and Iarfhliath Davoren of Sligo all getting booked.
Wanderer's best chance almost came in the form of an own goal when a ball into the box was bundled the behind by captain Danny Ventre, but could easily have found the back of the net.
Rovers continued to control the game, but they couldn't make their superiority count as they went in 0-0 at half-time.
Against the run of play, Bray took the lead with four minutes of the second half gone when Jason Byrne capitalised on an Iarfhliath Davoren mistake before slotting the ball low past Gary Rogers.
Ian Baraclough introduced Pascal Millien and Mark Quigley in hope of finding an early equaliser, and it was Quigley who set up a deserved Rovers goal when he sent Alan Keane through on goal to squeeze the ball past Darren Quigley at his near post.
From then on, it turned into a very even affair, but North could have clinched it in the dying minutes when a Millien ball across the face of goal was almost met by the striker, but he couldn't make contact with the ball to put it in.
Bray finished the game with ten men when Adam Mitchell was sent off for a second bookable offence after hauling North down when he ran towards goal, but the Seagulls held on for a well deserved.
Sligo Rovers: Gary Rogers; Alan Keane, Gavin Peers, Danny Ventre, Iarfhliath Davoren; Romauld Boco, David Cawley, Joseph Ndo (Seamus Conneely '80), Ross Gaynor (Pascal Millien '59); Rafael Cretaro (Mark Quigley '59), Danny North.
Subs not used: Ciaran Kelly, Jeff Henderson, Seamus Conneely, Lee Lynch, John Dillon.
Bray Wanderers: Darren Quigley; Shane O'Connor, Adam Mitchell, Danny O'Connor, Dane Massey; Adam Hanlon (Daire Doyle '73), Dean Zambra, Kevin O'Connor, John Mulroy, Kieran Marty Waters (Kevin Knight '77); Jason Byrne (Brendan King '85).
Subs not used: Brian Kane, Pat Seery, Graham Kelly, Conor Butler.
Referee: Graham Kelly.
Attendance: 1,778
extratime.ie Man of the Match: Kieran 'Marty' Waters (Bray Wanderers).
