Bray Wanderers 4 - 0 Galway United
Credit:
Bray Wanderers cruised to a victory against an appalling Galway United
at the Carlisle Grounds with a brace from Jake Kelly and one each for
Gary Shaw and Dean Zambra. Not only helped did the result massively
improve their goal difference with Drogheda United, down from ten to four, but was also
their biggest win of the season. The Tribesmen have a long trip home
to ponder the end of their impressive head to head form against the
Seagulls.
The game started brightly enough, with an early run and shot by Sean Houston who cut inside from the right towards the D, but his shot was skewed and rolled safely into Barry Ryan's hands.
After an energetic start to a game that was full of crisp passing and strong challenges, it promised so much, but as the game settled down, mistakes crept in. Clumsy errors and poor touches by both sides littered the first 45 minutes with Bray enjoying the lion share of possession although there was little in the way of chances for either side.
Surprisingly, it was Bray who looked the more threatening going forward. Galway's recent away form in the capital (or thereabouts) would have suggested that they were the form team going into this match, but they appeared lethargic, Bray showing alot more promise going forward.
After half an hour there was finally a shot of note; Gary Shaw fed Dean Zambra through on the right of the area, but his stinging shot was parried by Ryan.
A Long ball forward from Matt Gregg fell to Jake Kelly, who nearly got in on goal after a juggling act but Seamus Conneely cleared the danger with a last ditch tackle outside the area. From the resulting throw in, Bray went a goal to the good after winning a penalty in the Seagulls favour- Conneely couldn't deal with Kelly's movement and was penalised for tugging on his jersey. There was little in it but the referee was in no doubt and blew instantly and abruptly to the delight of the home fans. Kelly brushed himself down and coolly slotted home to the bottom right hand corner.
Galway tried to respond instantly with a Stephen Walsh cross that went all the way through the box from the left and it fell to Tom King- his turn and snap shot was heading for the top corner but was smartly saved by Matt Gregg. In the middle of the park, Chris Shields flicked onto Gary Shaw who in turn, headed towards an onrushing Kelly from the left wing. His crisp volley sailed just wide of the right upright.
Galway attempted to lift their game in the second period, Derek O'Brien and Jason Molloy both with half chances however Bray seemed to be in control. On the 59th minute, Shields fed Kelly down the left whose shot was only parried by Barry Ryan and Gary Shaw was first to react. Two goals up and the tie effectively over, Kelly and Shaw decided to turn this at times dreary encounter up until then, into a showpiece of attacking prowess between a little and large striking partnership.
Another Shaw flick on found Kelly behind the defence again in a one on one situation, but his chipped effort dipped a few inches short and Ryan was able to gather with one outstretched hand.
Once the game was finished as a contest, Galway decided to play some football, Derek O'Brien causing troubles down the left- he got past Dave Webster on several occasions, but his teammates failed to match his endeavour going forward and all his crosses were safely cleared by the Bray defence. After eventually pushing up when the game was effectively over, Galway began to disintegrate at the back.
In the last 15 minutes, Kelly broke again, down the left. After getting to the by-line, he took on his man, swept past him easily and squared to Dean Zambra who had an easy finish from two yards out. He could have had a second; after a misplaced clearance from Ryan that fell straight to Shaw, he played a through ball to Zambra who in acres of space to push forward, stopped and tried to lob the Ryan- but his deft effort sailing wide of the left post. Finally, in the last five minutes of the game, Bray got their fourth- Zambra found Kelly again unmarked down the right, he smashed home to the bottom left hand corner to cap off his man of the match performance.
The Seagulls have an awfully big struggle to stave off consecutive relegations, but with a striking partnership as potent as Kelly and Shaw, they can make a good go of it yet. As for Galway, it seems a case of trundling across the finish line with a bare minimum of a squad remaining, all substitutes being under 20's players and a long injury list for the foreseeable future. However, their work is done- it is time for Bray to get their season started.
Bray Wanderers: Gregg, Webster, Houston, S O'Connor, Prendergast, Dempsey (Mitchell 86), Zambra, D O'Connor, Shaw (Mulroy '82), Shields, Kelly (Massey '86).
Subs not used: Doyle, Kane
Galway United: Ryan, Coneeley, Reilly (Preston Kelly '61), McKenzie, O'Donnell, Molloy (Keogh '76), Sheppard, O'Brien, King (Cheever '64), Curran, Walsh.
Subs not used: Sheppard, Geraghty
Booked: Prendergast '45, Coneeley '35, King '36, Ryan '54, Walsh 79.
Referee: Tom Connolly
Assistant referees: Rhona Daly, Ciaran Delaney
4th Official: Rob Rogers
extratime.ie Man of the Match: Jake Kelly
The game started brightly enough, with an early run and shot by Sean Houston who cut inside from the right towards the D, but his shot was skewed and rolled safely into Barry Ryan's hands.
After an energetic start to a game that was full of crisp passing and strong challenges, it promised so much, but as the game settled down, mistakes crept in. Clumsy errors and poor touches by both sides littered the first 45 minutes with Bray enjoying the lion share of possession although there was little in the way of chances for either side.
Surprisingly, it was Bray who looked the more threatening going forward. Galway's recent away form in the capital (or thereabouts) would have suggested that they were the form team going into this match, but they appeared lethargic, Bray showing alot more promise going forward.
After half an hour there was finally a shot of note; Gary Shaw fed Dean Zambra through on the right of the area, but his stinging shot was parried by Ryan.
A Long ball forward from Matt Gregg fell to Jake Kelly, who nearly got in on goal after a juggling act but Seamus Conneely cleared the danger with a last ditch tackle outside the area. From the resulting throw in, Bray went a goal to the good after winning a penalty in the Seagulls favour- Conneely couldn't deal with Kelly's movement and was penalised for tugging on his jersey. There was little in it but the referee was in no doubt and blew instantly and abruptly to the delight of the home fans. Kelly brushed himself down and coolly slotted home to the bottom right hand corner.
Galway tried to respond instantly with a Stephen Walsh cross that went all the way through the box from the left and it fell to Tom King- his turn and snap shot was heading for the top corner but was smartly saved by Matt Gregg. In the middle of the park, Chris Shields flicked onto Gary Shaw who in turn, headed towards an onrushing Kelly from the left wing. His crisp volley sailed just wide of the right upright.
Galway attempted to lift their game in the second period, Derek O'Brien and Jason Molloy both with half chances however Bray seemed to be in control. On the 59th minute, Shields fed Kelly down the left whose shot was only parried by Barry Ryan and Gary Shaw was first to react. Two goals up and the tie effectively over, Kelly and Shaw decided to turn this at times dreary encounter up until then, into a showpiece of attacking prowess between a little and large striking partnership.
Another Shaw flick on found Kelly behind the defence again in a one on one situation, but his chipped effort dipped a few inches short and Ryan was able to gather with one outstretched hand.
Once the game was finished as a contest, Galway decided to play some football, Derek O'Brien causing troubles down the left- he got past Dave Webster on several occasions, but his teammates failed to match his endeavour going forward and all his crosses were safely cleared by the Bray defence. After eventually pushing up when the game was effectively over, Galway began to disintegrate at the back.
In the last 15 minutes, Kelly broke again, down the left. After getting to the by-line, he took on his man, swept past him easily and squared to Dean Zambra who had an easy finish from two yards out. He could have had a second; after a misplaced clearance from Ryan that fell straight to Shaw, he played a through ball to Zambra who in acres of space to push forward, stopped and tried to lob the Ryan- but his deft effort sailing wide of the left post. Finally, in the last five minutes of the game, Bray got their fourth- Zambra found Kelly again unmarked down the right, he smashed home to the bottom left hand corner to cap off his man of the match performance.
The Seagulls have an awfully big struggle to stave off consecutive relegations, but with a striking partnership as potent as Kelly and Shaw, they can make a good go of it yet. As for Galway, it seems a case of trundling across the finish line with a bare minimum of a squad remaining, all substitutes being under 20's players and a long injury list for the foreseeable future. However, their work is done- it is time for Bray to get their season started.
Bray Wanderers: Gregg, Webster, Houston, S O'Connor, Prendergast, Dempsey (Mitchell 86), Zambra, D O'Connor, Shaw (Mulroy '82), Shields, Kelly (Massey '86).
Subs not used: Doyle, Kane
Galway United: Ryan, Coneeley, Reilly (Preston Kelly '61), McKenzie, O'Donnell, Molloy (Keogh '76), Sheppard, O'Brien, King (Cheever '64), Curran, Walsh.
Subs not used: Sheppard, Geraghty
Booked: Prendergast '45, Coneeley '35, King '36, Ryan '54, Walsh 79.
Referee: Tom Connolly
Assistant referees: Rhona Daly, Ciaran Delaney
4th Official: Rob Rogers
extratime.ie Man of the Match: Jake Kelly
About Conor McKeogh
Conor McKeogh began reporting for Extratime in 2010. Born down the road from Stamford Bridge and now living in Dublin, Conor reports on the South Dublin Clubs and can be reached at cmckeogh@gmail.com View Full Profile