- Stephen Pollard
- Sat, Jul 06 2013
Shamrock Rovers missed the chance to move within nine points of leaders St. Patrick's Athletic after an eventful scoreless draw with Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds.
Bray came close on the break through Mart Waters on several occasions as they looked to avenge their 7-0 defeat at Tallaght Stadium earlier in the campaign.
The Hoops could have won it late on, in stoppage time, through Ken Oman but his header was controversially ruled out for a push.
Shamrock Rovers started brightly and after just two minutes a through ball from Sean O'Connor was met by Thomas Stewart who volleyed straight at Darren Quigley.
The third member of the Hoops attacking trio got in on the goalmouth action early on. Gary McCabe weaved his magic to find space in the box before shooting low towards the bottom corner, a strike that was well kept out by Quigley.
The visitors had a third effort saved by Quigley on 11 minutes. Ronan Finn found a yard on the right despite pressure from Conor Earley and crossed for McCabe. He headed straight at the experienced stopper with the remainder of the net wide open in front of him.
Rovers dominated the opening 20 minutes and when Sean O’Connor’s corner was met by the head of Stephen Rice, most fans where off their feet cheering an opener when in fact the ball had scrapped off the post and wide.
Just past the midway point of the opening period, Bray thought they should have been awarded a penalty when Kieran Marty Waters was taken down in the area by Pat Sullivan, the Seagulls claims where waved away though.
Just moments later Waters came close to opening the scoring for the hosts against the run of play. His shot was acrobatically saved by Richard Brush after the flying winger had outmuscled Derek Foran to create the opportunity.
Bray began to get on top of proceedings and John Mulroy went close eight minutes before the break, a long ball from Danny O’Connor was met by the forward and he volleyed the ball in the direction of Brush who stopped it comfortably.
The Hoops where not without their chances before the half time whistle. A speculative effort from McCabe and a poor header from a free kick by Ken Oman was the best they could muster as the sides went in for the break.
Rovers started the second half much like the first, Chambers latching onto a Finn cross but heading the ball back across the six yard box before O’Connor volleyed inches over Quigley’s crossbar.
Trevor Crolly's men were very close to taking a deserved lead 53 minutes in. Thomas Stewart laid off to Finn and his stinging drive skimmed past Quigley’s post with the keeper beaten.
Rovers maintained their pressure beyond the hour mark with a succession of half chances. A throw from Powell was latched onto by O’Connor and his attempted lob left Quigley beaten but, unfortunately for the ex-Pats man, it also had the crossbar beaten as Bray hung onto parity.
Bray were dangerous on the break throughout the game though and it was Waters again who broke free of Sullivan, his volley glazed past Brush’s post.
The Hoops made a double switch on 66 minutes with Mark Quigley and Billy Dennehy on for Stewart and McCabe a and it almost paid dividends straight away as a 1-2 down the left between Finn and Tralee native Dennehy ended with the man from Artane shooting into the side netting from a tight angle.
Waters tormented Rovers down the left all game, he outpaced the Rovers rear guard for the umpteenth time before shooting low with Brush clutching onto the shot low to his left.
Once again the two Rovers replacements linked up with Finn to create a chance 13 minutes from time, Quigley and Finn exchanged half volleys to create space for Finn down the right and he crossed for Dennehy who found a yard but fired straight into the arms of the Bray keeper.
The visitors shouts for a penalty just two minutes from the end of ninety went unanswered when Rice took a tumble under the pressure of Danny O’Connor. Referee Buttimer adjudged Rice to have committed the foul which perplexed many of the Rovers faithful.
The Seagulls could have stolen a late winner. A cut back at the end line by substitute Sean Noble found Kevin O’Connor but his shot was well stopped by the in-form Brush.
Shamrock Rovers also had a chance in stoppage time as Dennehy’s cut back was met by Sullivan who headed wide from near the edge of the area.
There was to be one final twist in the plot in the dying embers, a Sean O’Connor corner was met by the head of Oman, who buried his header past Quigley only to see it ruled out for a push on a Bray defender as the Seagulls hung on to a point.
Bray Wanderers: Darren Quigley; Eoin Hyland, Danny O’Connor, Adam Mitchell, Conor Earley; John Mulroy, Kevin O’Connor, Dean Zambra, Kieran Marty Waters; Gary Dempsey (Sean Noble 87); Jason Byrne (Ismahil Akinade 86).
Subs not used: Sean Holmes (GK), Daire Doyle, Ryan Coombes, Niall Cooney, Michael Brown.
Booked: Zambra (78), Dempsey (87).
Shamrock Rovers: Richard Brush; Pat Sullivan, Derek Foran, Ken Oman, Conor Powell; Gary McCabe (Billy Dennehy 66), Stephen Rice, Ronan Finn, James Chambers, Sean O’Connor; Thomas Stewart (Mark Quigley 66).
Subs not used: Barry Murphy (GK), Karl Sheppard, Shane Robinson, Conor McCormack , Jason McGuinness.
Booked: Powell (36).
Referee: Anthony Buttimer
Attendance: 2,000 (estimate)
Extratime.ie Man of the match: Derek Foran (Shamrock Rovers)
