Bray Wanderers 4
Shamrock Rovers 2
Dan Gorman reports from the Carlisle Grounds
A GOAL-LADEN eight minute spell propelled Bray Wanderers to a first league success over Shamrock Rovers in 18 attempts.
Trailing 0-1 going into the 41st minute, the Seagulls lead 3-1 at half time and it was the third of those goals — a Gary McCabe penalty — that caused ructions amongst the travelling support as Tomer Chencinski and Ryan Brennan shared a gentle tussle that lead to the spot kick.
Stephen Bradley’s side started well and registered the first score. Brandon Miele’s threaded pass was helped into Darren Meenan’s path by Graham Burke and he lashed to the roof of the net.
Brennan should have levelled on 30 minutes. Greene’s thunderbolt from the blue rebounded to him and he blasted the rebound off the post.
Brennan played his part in the leveller as Keith Buckley floated in a cross that McCabe rose unmarked to guide his header to the far corner.
Greene was found neatly on the edge of the area for the second and his sliding pass was astute and Dylan Connolly brilliantly lifted it over Chencinski.
Within two minutes, it was 3-1. Brennan went in a tad late to contest a spilled ball with the shot-stopper. The Canadian reacted and Buttimer deemed his rebuttal a foul – much to Rovers’ utter disbelief.
Any Hoops hopes were killed off on 59 minutes as Connolly cut the ball back for Marks to fire home via a deflection off Simon Madden. At that point, the first droves of Rovers fans departed – despite there being over half an hour still to play.
To cap off a miserable evening for the visitors, substitute Michael O’Connor received a straight red card with nine minutes to play after he lashed out at Connolly before James Doona managed an 87th minute consolation.
Bray Wanderers: Peter Cherrie; Keith Buckley, Tim Clancy, Derek Foran, Jason Marks; John Sullivan, Mark Salmon; Ryan Brennan (Karl Moore, 79), Gary McCabe (Darragh Noone, 85), Dylan Connolly (Jamie Aherne, 83); Aaron Greene.
Shamrock Rovers: Tomer Chencinski; Simon Madden, David Webster, Sam Bone, Trevor Clarke; Darren Meenan (James Doona, 66), Roberto Lopes, Ronan Finn, Brandon Miele; Graham Burke (Michael O’Connor, 61); Gary Shaw (Sean Boyd, 75).
Referee: Anthony Buttimer.