Bray Wanderers 0
Longford Town 0
LONGFORD TOWN SHOWED tremendous battling spirit to overcome a numerical disadvantage as they held hosts Bray Wanderers to a stalemate in this basement battle.
Town’s James Mulhall received a second yellow card before the hour mark but they clung on and even asked questions of the Seagulls at the Carlisle Grounds on a night where defeat would have been crippling for either side.
Mulhall collected his first booking after just four minutes as his side struggled to contain the hosts. Connolly should have broken the deadlock when released by Ger Pender but his curler towards the top corner cleared the crossbar.
An overlapping run from Hugh Douglas allowed him to deliver a dangerous 26th minute cross that resulted in shots for Pender, Connolly and Andrew Lewis but the Town defence managed to block all three efforts.
A deflected Lewis header nudged the post before another Connolly curler forced Paul Skinner to turn the ball behind in a first half that saw Harry Kenny’s chargers dictate matters.
Mulhall lasted 14 minutes of the second period before another foul on Connolly earned him his marching orders. Connolly would fall foul of Kevin O’Regan too when he was cautioned for simulation as he attempted to win a penalty late on which summed up Wanderers’ attacking nous in the latter stages.
BRAY: Peter Cherrie; Hugh Douglas, Alan McNally, Conor Kenna (C), Sean Harding (Jason Marks, 73); Karl Moore, Robbie Creevy, Ryan Brennan, Dylan Connolly; Andrew Lewis, Ger Pender (Dean Kelly, 74 75).
LONGFORD: Paul Skinner; James Mulhall, Pat Flynn, Mark Rossiter (Peter McGlynn, 62), Rhys Gorman, Conor Powell; Philip Gannon, Kevin O’Connor; Kaleen Simon, Lee Duffy (Josh O’Hanlon, 74); David O’Sullivan.
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