Bray Wanderers 4
UCD 0
Andrew Dempsey reports from Carlisle Grounds
BRAY WANDERERS SNAPPED their two-game losing streak with a dominant display as they hammered UCD at the Carlisle Grounds on Friday evening.
Goals early in each half from Darren Craven and Conor Clifford set them on their way, before substitute Joe Doyle netted a late brace to seal the deal and three points for the Seagulls.
Both teams came into the game having lost their last two – although Bray found themselves outside the playoff positions prior to kick-off.
LOI First Division Results
- Athlone Town 0-2 Cork City
- Galway United FC 1-0 Cabinteely
- Wexford FC 0-1 Shelbourne
And Gary Cronin’s side made one change from their chastening 4-1 loss at home to Shelbourne, while UCD opted to make four alterations from their own 2-1 defeat against Cobh last time out.
That defeat at home to Shels looked to have produced a reaction of sorts from Bray – and they took a deserved 6th minute lead through Darren Craven. Craven slammed home after pouncing on Ryan Graydon’s drag-back that fell into his path – leaving Lorcan Healy with no chance in the UCD goal.
The students could not get into a rhythm as the opening half wore on, and they could have found themselves even further behind in the 23rd minute – but Graydon could not leap high enough to get a proper connection on Craven’s whipped cross into the box.
Bray remained dominant as the half wore on and had a penalty shout waved away – with the best UCD mustering up being a long-range strike from Harvey O’Brien that went harmlessly over the bar as the hosts took a 1-0 lead at the break.
Despite a good start to the half from the Students, they found themselves two behind after 54 minutes following Conor Clifford’s penalty. Craven was felled by a stray UCD foot and the former Chelsea youth Clifford made no mistake from the spot to double Bray’s lead.
And it was then three just after the hour mark as Joe Doyle beat Lorcan Healy at his near-post after the ex-Cabinteely forward pounced on a loose UCD pass around the back to pile the misery on Andy Myler’s side, who fell even further behind Shels in the title race.
That misery was further compounded in the first minute of injury time as Doyle grabbed his second of the night, beating Healy to the ball and finding the back of the net at the edge of the box to seal a valuable three points for the hosts.
Bray Wanderers: Brian Maher; Dylan Barnett, Aaron Barry (c), Mark Byrne, Andrew Quinn; Conor Clifford, Darren Craven, Ryan Graydon (Dean O’Shea 90), Brandon Kavanagh (Richie O’Farrell 71), Luka Lovic (Steven Kinsella 76); Gary Shaw (Joe Doyle 45).
UCD: Lorcan Healy; Sam Todd (c), Evan Osam, Harvey O’Brien (Paul Doyle 60); Evan Weir, Dara Keane (Adam Lennon 60), Michael Gallagher (Eoin Farrell 67), Mark Dignam (Jack Keaney 60), Sean Brennan (Donal Higgins 77); Colm Whelan, Liam Kerrigan.
Referee: Jason Mannix.
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