Bray Wanderers -v- Dundalk

• Daire Walsh
• Thu, Mar 04 2010


Just a couple of short weeks after they were due to take part in the Airtricity League First Division, Bray Wanderers will take to the field once again in a top-flight encounter when they entertain Ian Foster’s Dundalk at the Carlisle Grounds on Friday evening (kick-off 7.45pm).

Having finished bottom in the Premier Division last season, Eddie Gormley’s side will have their work cut out if they are to avoid meeting the same fate this year. The messy situation which has seen them re-instated into the top division at such a late stage is hardly ideal, but they can’t complain too much as every team wants to play in the top division, and The Seagulls are no different.

They will take on a Dundalk side who performed solidly last season in their first year back in the Premier Division after their successful promotion campaign in 2008. They finished the season in fifth position, but will enter into the Europa League Qualifying Round after the relegation of both Cork City and Derry City, who had finished third and fourth respectively, to the First Division. The prospect of European football returning to Oriel Park will be a huge confidence boost going into the new season, and Foster will be hoping to build on his promising spell with Galway United by bringing The Lilywhites onto the next level.

If Bray are to survive this season, then it is essential that they pick up some points early on, but Gormley will have to plan for the visit of the Louth men without the services of both Dave Webster and Dave O’Neill. Webster is still recovering from a knee injury that he picked up in pre-season and won’t be fully fit for another week or two, whereas O’Neill picked up a bruised leg in Bray’s final pre-season game in Drogheda last Sunday.

There is also a doubt surrounding the veteran defender Colm Tresson, who is struggling with a back injury at present. Other than that, Gormley has a fully fit squad, and is confident that his current batch of players are capable of performing in top flight football.

“The players have worked hard and I would be optimistic that they will apply themselves well in the Premier Division”, he said during the week.

At the time of going to press, Dundalk had as close to a full squad as possible (with the exception of Tiarnan Mulvenna, who is out for a month with a knee cartilage injury), so Liverpool man Foster will have a few selection headaches going into his first league game. Speaking to dundalkfc.com after their final pre-season game against Monaghan, Foster did state that the team they played in that game won’t be a million miles removed from the one they field against Bray, but was quick to point out that nothing is set in stone as of yet.

“It won’t be a million miles away from that. Obviously, I don’t want to give too much away. It’s still pre-season tonight; we’ve made eight changes, which is obviously something that you would never do in a normal fixture. What we have at the moment now is decent competition for places, so that’s all we can ask for”, explained Foster.

With players like former Bray man Alan Cawley, Fahrudin Kudozovic, Ross Gaynor and Neale Fenn at their disposal, it would be fair to say that Dundalk would go into this match as favourites to come away with the three points.

However, their last three games in the Carlisle Grounds have ended in draws, and the home side will be eager to put on a decent performance in what will be their 1,000th senior competitive game. They have capable performers like David Tyrrell, Daire Doyle and Andrei Georgescu at their disposal, as well as some good young players like John Mulroy, Jake Kelly and Chris Shields, so they will be no pushovers.

Venue: Carlisle Grounds, Bray.

Referee: D. McKeon.

Paddypower.com odds: Bray 3/1, Dundalk 5/6, Draw 12/5.

Bray Wanderers
Injured: Dave Webster, Dave O’Neill.
Doubtful: Colm Tresson.
Suspended: None.

Dundalk
Injured: Tiarnan Mulvenna.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.

Extratime.ie prediction: Bray Wanderers 1-1 Dundalk FC.