Bray Wanderers 3
Derry City 2
Dan Gorman reports from the Carlisle Grounds.
LIGHTNING STRUCK TWICE at the Carlisle Grounds as Tim Clancy netted a late winner for Bray Wanderers against Derry City – just as he did the last time the sides clashed.
And just like in that fixture in McGinn Park, it was a delivery from Aaron Greene that the centre-half dispatched to earn his side a 3-2 success.
There were 81 minutes on the clock when Clancy struck but until then, it had looked like Bray Wanderers’ leaky defence would prove costly again as they allowed City to come from behind twice.
Darragh Noone and Ryan Brennan both gave the Seagulls the lead but replies from Ronan Curtis and Nathan Boyle cancelled them out.
Noone got proceedings underway in the fifth minute as he inadvertently converted Lynch’s cross with his backside.
Derry City seemed to still be on their mid-season break until Nicky Low collected possession 40 yards from goal and split the Bray defence with a pass that demanded to be converted – Ronan Curtis obliged as he opened up his body to curl home a low effort.
Anto Flood was working like a Trojan and he won the free that McCabe drifted in for Ryan Brennan to rise freely to glance home from six yards.
Bray’s porous backline failed to make it past two minutes of the second period before coughing up their lead. Aaron McEniff fed Boyle and he fired a low strike past Cherrie’s despairing dive.
Both sides appeared to be fizzling out and hobbling towards stalemate but Tim Clancy had other ideas. He broke Derry hearts for a second time as he got the decisive touch to Aaron Greene’s delivery.
This blow quickly stirred Derry back into life. They had two marvellous chances to snatch a late leveller but were denied by a goal-line clearance from Kenna and a breathtaking save from Cherrie to deny McEniff.
This result sees Wanderers leapfrog the Candystripes to reclaim third spot.
Bray Wanderers: Peter Cherrie; Hugh Douglas, Derek Foran (Tim Clancy, 57), Conor Kenna, Kevin Lynch (Jason Marks, 67); Darragh Noone, Mark Salmon; Ryan Brennan (Karl Moore, 80), Gary McCabe, Aaron Greene; Anthony Flood.
Derry City: Gerard Doherty; Harry Monaghan (Ben Doherty, 87), Conor McDermott, Aaron Barry, Dean Jarvis; Aaron McEniff, Nicky Low; Josh Daniels (Mark Timlin, 83), Barry McNamee, Ronan Curtis; Nathan Boyle.
Referee: Robert Hennessey.
Venue: Carlisle Grounds, Bray.
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