- Seamus Egan
- Sat, Apr 05 2014
Ten-man Bohemians fought back to earn a 1-1 draw against Bray Wanderers at Dalymount Park on Friday night. Dinny Corcoran's late goal cancelled out Graham Kelly's first half penalty. Dean Delany was sent off for Bohs.
The home team started the better of the two sides and created the first chance of the game in the 4th minute. Dinny Corcoran played a fine ball in behind the visitor's defence to Stephen Beattie, whose first time shot was well saved by Stephen McGuinness.
The game's main talking point occurred in the 21st minute. Jake Kelly chased a ball into the Bohs penalty area. Dean Delany came out and brought him down. Referee Sean Grant awarded the penalty and subsequently sent Delany off.
Kelly received treatment for quite some time and was stretchered off. After a delay of seven minutes, Graham Kelly stepped up to take the resultant penalty. He sent substitute goalkeeper Lee Murphy the wrong way to give the visitors the lead.
Alan Matthew's side didn't dominate for the rest of the first half despite their numerical advantage. However they nearly added a second during the seven minutes of injury time. Robert Moloney played a splendid pass in behind the home defence. Substitute Dave Scully controlled the ball and tried to lob it over Murphy and into the net but the ball went across goal.
The 10 men nearly equalized shortly on the stroke of half time. Darragh Reynor took a free kick from the right with his left foot. Aidan Price got his head to it from close range but the ball hit the crossbar and went over.
Bray should have doubled their lead at the start of the second half. Akinade blocked Price's attempted clearance. As he raced towards goal, Murphy came off his line. The Bray striker tried to lob it over him and into the net but he could only put it wide.
Scully had another chance against his former club in the 55th minute. Graham Kelly's corner from the right was glanced goal wards by Bray's number 19 but it just cleared the crossbar.
Owen Heary's side had a golden opportunity to get back on level terms in the 64th minute. After they broke on the counter attack Craig Walsh played it to his right to release Stephen Beattie. Beattie advanced towards goal but McGuinness was out very quickly to smother his shot and make the save.
Owen Heary's team were the better side in the latter part of the match and they deservedly got back on level terms in the 89th minute. Craig Walsh played a sublime pass into the area. Dinny Corcoran gathered possession, rounded McGuinness and coolly slotted it into the empty net to make it 1-1.
Both sides went looking for a winner during the three minutes of injury time but no clear cut chances were created. It was a brave performance by the Gypsies who never gave up and deserved a draw. Bray were guilty of giving the ball away too easily as the game went on.
Bohemians: Dean Delaney; Derek Pender (c), Aidan Price, Roberto Lopes, Darragh Reynor (Jason Byrne 78); Stephen Beattie, Craig Walsh, Dan Byrne, Karl Moore (Kevin Devaney 69); Paddy Cavanagh (Lee Murphy 22); Dinny Corcoran.
Subs not used: Stephen Traynor, Ryan McEvoy, Keith Buckley, Philip McCabe.
Booked: Beattie (40), D Byrne (64), Walsh (73),
Sent off: Delany (21).
Bray Wanderers: Stephen McGuinness; Shane O'Connor, Dave Webster (c), Adam Mitchell, Robert Moloney (Shane O'Neill 78); Dean Zambra, Shane Byrne, David Cassidy, Graham Kelly, Jake Kelly (Dave Scully 27); Ismahil Akinade.
Subs not used: Gavin Sheridan (gk), Jamie McGlynn, Niall Cooney, Ciaran Byrne, Gary Curran.
Booked: Akinade (19), Mitchell (40), Moloney (76), Webster (79).
Referee: Sean Grant.
Attendance: 1,345
Extratime.ie man of the match: Stephen Beattie (Bohemians).
