Bray Wanderers 1
St Patrick’s Athletic 1
BRAY WANDERERS DROPPED points but still had reason to celebrate as they rose to second in the Premier Division table.
Ryan Brennan’s headed goal in the 24th minute was the least the Seagulls deserved for a dominant first half but that all unravelled as Kurtis Byrne produced a rocket a minute into the second period.
Both sides had glorious chances to win it but a draw was a worthy result in an entertaining encounter.
Brennan spurned a wonderful opportunity early on. Keith Buckley bombed forward from right-back and squared the ball inside to Gary McCabe. He caught the Pat’s defence cold with a delicious back-heel that saw the ball roll through for Brennan but he drilled wide from inside the area.
Bray’s dominance was rewarded in the 24th minute. Greene’s free was nodded back out to Buckley, his cross was teasing and vicious, O’Malley gambled and Brennan profited as he beat O’Malley to it and glanced it to the net.
Wanderers were so secure and so dominant in the first period but their clean sheet was whipped out from under them just seconds into the second half.
McCabe lost the ball to Byrne who decided to go it alone and he wholly justified his decision as he unleashed a thunderous drive that torpedoed into the top corner from 22 yards leaving Peter Cherrie with absolutely no chance.
Aaron Greene and John Sullivan both passed up gilt-edged chances before Buckley saved the day for Bray on the stroke of full time as Byrne beat the offside trap and cut it back to Dennehy with the goal at his mercy but Buckley slid in to put it behind.
Bray Wanderers: Peter Cherrie; Keith Buckley, Tim Clancy, Conor Kenna, Jason Marks; John Sullivan, Mark Salmon; Ryan Brennan (Anto Flood, 74), Gary McCabe, Dylan Connolly; Aaron Greene.
St Patrick’s Athletic: Conor O’Malley; Michael Barker, Lee Desmond, Rory Feely, Ian Bermingham; Sam Verdon, Pat Cregg; Conan Byrne (A. O’Hanlon, 83), Darragh Markey (Kelly, 88), Kurtis Byrne; Christy Fagan (Billy Dennehy, 73).
Referee: Ben Connolly.
Attendance: 1,287.