JUSTIN FERIZAJ’S MOMENT of Premier Division quality booked Bray Wanderers a meeting with Waterford next week for a place in the top tier of Irish football as they overcame Treaty United in the First Division play-off final.
With almost 90 minutes of poor finishing in the book, Ferizaj’s acrobatics in the dying embers claimed a famous victory for Paul Heffernan’s men, who dominated the 20 minutes beforehand.
Justin Ferizaj take a bow! 👏
An unbelievable finish on the 90 minute mark which looks to be the enough to send Bray Wanderers into the Relegation/Promotion Play-off final! pic.twitter.com/L0LQWGY07b
The sides qualified for the play-off final in very different manners. The Shannonsiders needed extra time in order to steer past a heavily-favoured yet mid-turmoil Cobh Ramblers, while Bray always looked in control over UCD.
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The 14 point gap between the clubs in the First Division table might have indicated that the Seagulls would hold an edge coming into this one, but each unit won their home games against the other in the league this year, meaning a neutral venue was the perfect leveller.
Bray haven’t been back in the Premier Division since they were relegated in 2018, but have had some play-off heartbreak in that time.
They lost out to Galway United at the first hurdle in 2020, before falling to an eventually-promoted UCD the year after. 2024 saw them come closest, but Kevin Doherty’s FAI Cup-winning Drogheda had too much for them in the promotion/relegation matchup in Tallaght.
Despite their minute five-year existence, this is the third time Tommy Barrett has guided Treaty United to the play-offs in that time, but 2025 does represent the first time they’ve overcome the semi-final stage.
While these sides hadn’t struggled to find the net against each other this year, the lack of a sharp number nine on either side really showed as good both positions and good chances were wasted in the opening 45.
Sean Brennan dictated things for Bray, but his ability to find pockets of space seemed a half-step ahead of everyone else on the pitch. Similarly, Lee Lynch frequently found himself in good positions to no avail.
The lack of suspended young talent Billy O’Neill and the rust of just-returning Patrick Ferry were evident.
For all that Wanderers looked tidier on the ball, Treaty United went on to hit the woodwork twice, either side of half-time. First, Mark Byrne’s downward header smacked the bar, before Lee Devitt’s stunning volley suffered the same fate at the other end.
But Bray turned the screw amid a flurry of changes. It came to very little until the clock was all but at 90 – when a loose ball floated around the penalty area and Ferizaj met it with a breathtaking overhead kick to win the tie.
Bray Wanderers: Jimmy Corcoran; Alain Kizenga, Cillian Cantwell, Harvey Warren, Max Murphy; Cian Doyle, Rhys Bartley (Rhys Knight, 64); Conor Knight (Guillermo Almirall, 64), Sean Brennan, Justin Ferizaj; Cian Curtis.
Treaty United: Corey Chambers; Evan O’Connor, Eoin Martin, Rickov Boevi, Ben Lynch; Colin Conroy, Lee-J Lynch (Roy Lawlor, 89); Karl O’Sullivan, Lee Devitt, Mark Byrne (Ben Lee, 89); Patrick Ferry (Joe Hanson, 60).
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Ferizaj's last-gasp overhead kick secures Bray promotion play-off date with Waterford
Bray Wanderers 1
Treaty United 0
Andrew Cunneen reports from Athlone
JUSTIN FERIZAJ’S MOMENT of Premier Division quality booked Bray Wanderers a meeting with Waterford next week for a place in the top tier of Irish football as they overcame Treaty United in the First Division play-off final.
With almost 90 minutes of poor finishing in the book, Ferizaj’s acrobatics in the dying embers claimed a famous victory for Paul Heffernan’s men, who dominated the 20 minutes beforehand.
The sides qualified for the play-off final in very different manners. The Shannonsiders needed extra time in order to steer past a heavily-favoured yet mid-turmoil Cobh Ramblers, while Bray always looked in control over UCD.
The 14 point gap between the clubs in the First Division table might have indicated that the Seagulls would hold an edge coming into this one, but each unit won their home games against the other in the league this year, meaning a neutral venue was the perfect leveller.
Bray haven’t been back in the Premier Division since they were relegated in 2018, but have had some play-off heartbreak in that time.
They lost out to Galway United at the first hurdle in 2020, before falling to an eventually-promoted UCD the year after. 2024 saw them come closest, but Kevin Doherty’s FAI Cup-winning Drogheda had too much for them in the promotion/relegation matchup in Tallaght.
Despite their minute five-year existence, this is the third time Tommy Barrett has guided Treaty United to the play-offs in that time, but 2025 does represent the first time they’ve overcome the semi-final stage.
While these sides hadn’t struggled to find the net against each other this year, the lack of a sharp number nine on either side really showed as good both positions and good chances were wasted in the opening 45.
Sean Brennan dictated things for Bray, but his ability to find pockets of space seemed a half-step ahead of everyone else on the pitch. Similarly, Lee Lynch frequently found himself in good positions to no avail.
The lack of suspended young talent Billy O’Neill and the rust of just-returning Patrick Ferry were evident.
For all that Wanderers looked tidier on the ball, Treaty United went on to hit the woodwork twice, either side of half-time. First, Mark Byrne’s downward header smacked the bar, before Lee Devitt’s stunning volley suffered the same fate at the other end.
But Bray turned the screw amid a flurry of changes. It came to very little until the clock was all but at 90 – when a loose ball floated around the penalty area and Ferizaj met it with a breathtaking overhead kick to win the tie.
Bray Wanderers: Jimmy Corcoran; Alain Kizenga, Cillian Cantwell, Harvey Warren, Max Murphy; Cian Doyle, Rhys Bartley (Rhys Knight, 64); Conor Knight (Guillermo Almirall, 64), Sean Brennan, Justin Ferizaj; Cian Curtis.
Treaty United: Corey Chambers; Evan O’Connor, Eoin Martin, Rickov Boevi, Ben Lynch; Colin Conroy, Lee-J Lynch (Roy Lawlor, 89); Karl O’Sullivan, Lee Devitt, Mark Byrne (Ben Lee, 89); Patrick Ferry (Joe Hanson, 60).
Referee: Declan Toland.
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Bray Wanderers Justin Time League of Ireland LOI treaty united