- Gareth O'Reilly
- Mon, Sep 09 2013
Bray climbed off the bottom of the table with a hard earned draw against a sloppy UCD side who really should have been out of sight by half time. An opening goal from Cillian Morrison looked to have sent UCD on their way but the lead didn't last long as Jason Byrne equalised soon after for the Seagulls.
UCD started well dominating the opening fifteen minutes as Bray struggled to get a hold of the ball. The opening chance of the game came through captain Michael Leahy but he just failed to get a strong connection on a Dean Clarke corner.
A surging run down the left flank by David O'Connor saw the students get another opportunity from a corner kick. This time it was Hugh Douglas who failed to get enough power into his headed effort.
Then only chance of note for the home side came after Ismahil Akinade was fouled by Thomas Boyle thirty yards from goal. However the resultant free kick from Gary Dempsey fell straight into the grateful arms of Ger Barron.
UCD then had a great chance to go in front through Cillian Morrison as Mark Langtry beat his man to cross the ball. Morrison on the edge of the six yard box should have buried it but instead the striker blasted the ball over the crossbar.
Just five minutes later Morrison did have his name on the score sheet and it came after some quick thinking from Barry McCabe. The midfielder played a quick free kick behind the Bray defence to the unmarked Morrison who had the simplest of finished to put The Students into the lead.
By the half hour mark it was clear that there was a difference in class between the two sides as once again The College threatened from a set piece. Once again it was Michael Leahy who failed to get the relevant touch to steer the ball home from a corner.
Despite this just a few minutes later Bray had their equaliser through Jason Byrne. The striker who hit four past UCD last time out in the Belfield Bowl slotted home unchallenged from six yards out. The goal came after Kieran Marty Waters beat Hugh Douglas down the left hand side before picking out the unmarked Byrne.
It was now clear that Marty Waters needed to be stopped as once again he beat his man but this time Thomas Boyle managed to get a block on the Bray wingers effort.
The second half started off poorly with neither side able to play any sort of passing football. Going into this tie there had been an average of 4.28 goals scored per game when these clubs met but this game was turning out to be a rather uneventful affair.
UCD then had a fantastic chance to regain the lead when Dean Clarke delivered another superb ball in from a corner. The ball was originally headed downwards by Hugh Douglas before David O'Connor toe pocked the ball towards goal only to see Darren Quigley scoop the ball off the line.
Just over a minute later the ever impressive Dean Clarke had a great chance to put UCD into the lead but his shot rebound off the post after the ball had fallen kindly to Clarke on the penalty spot.
Two minutes after coming on Benson almost had the ball in the back of the net after he latched onto a loose ball on the edge of the box. Unfortunately for Martin Russell and UCD Benson's shot crept centimetres over the bar when it looked like it was about to nestle into the top corner of Darren Quigley's goal.
Sean Russell then had a chance when Benson's good play allowed Russell the opportunity to shoot only for his shot to be well saved by Quigley.
With just a minute left in regulation time Cillian Morrison went on a great solo run from the edge of his own penalty area. The lone striker then slid the ball across to Robbie Benson who blasted over from eighteen yards out.
Neither side managed to create much of a chance for the rest of the game as Bray climbed off the bottom of the table whilst UCD secured another vital point on the way to securing their Premier Division status for the 2014 season.
Bray Wanderers: Darren Quigley; Shane O'Connor, Danny O'Connor, Adam Mitchell, Conor Earley; Dean Zambra, Kevin O'Connor, Gary Dempsey (Kevin Knight 89), Kieran Marty Waters; Jason Byrne, Ismahil Akinade (John Mulroy 85).
Subs Not Used: Daire Doyle, Kevin O'Leary, Niall Cooney, Kevin Maher, Shane Redmond.
Booked: K O'Connor (44), Mitchell (47).
UCD: Ger Barron; Hugh Douglas, Thomas Boyle (Robbie Benson 68), David O'Connor, Michael Leahy, Mark Langtry; Barry McCabe, Craig Walsh; Dean Clarke (Samir Belhout 77), Sean Russell; Cillian Morrison.
Subs Not Used: Mark McGinley, Robbie Creevy, Gareth Matthews, Gary Burke, Tom O'Halloran.
Booked: Leahy (82).
Referee: Anthony Buttimer.
Attendance: 250 (estimate).
Extratime Man Of The Match: Kieran Marty Waters (Bray Wanderers).
