Bray Wanderers -v- Galway United

• Simon O'Gorman
• Fri, Apr 30 2010


Bray Wanderers will be looking to build on last Monday’s win at Oriel Park as they welcome Galway United to the Carlisle Grounds on Friday night.

It took the Seasiders nine attempts to register their first win of the season in a 3-2 thriller against a Dundalk side that were joint top of the league at the time.

Bray boss, Eddie Gormley was delighted with the win. "We played well and created more chances than them and deserved the three points. We showed a lot of character to come from behind twice and it was nice to be at the right end of a late winning goal for a change".

"It was great for Robbie (Doyle) to get the winning goal, he’s been working very hard and as a striker you need that goal to get you going and go on and score some more goals. And Jake (Kelly) coming off the bench and scoring two goals was great for him. He did really well and the two goals will do his confidence a power of good"

But Bray will be without a host of injured players on Friday night. Shane O'Neill, Stephen Brennan and Richie Baker are all still out with hamstring injuries while Daire Doyle (foot), John Mulroy (calf) and Dean Zambra (ankle) will also miss out.

Mark O'Brien, who missed Monday night's game through suspension following his sending off against Shamrock Rovers, returns to the squad and Dylan Vickers, Adam O'Connor and Ian Touhy have been drafted in.

Like Bray, Galway United started the season with some indifferent results but they too have had a recent upsurge in form.

Despite recent defeats against Premier Division high fliers Dundalk and St Patrick’s Athletic they have had wins against Drogheda United and, only two weeks ago, the reigning league champions Bohemians.

Beating Bohs in their own back yard was a massive result for the Tribesmen and their performance against Drogheda at Terryland Park cemented the growing reputation of Anto Flood and Karl Sheppard as a strike partnership that can score goals against any team in the league.

Galway’s main problem for Fridays’ game is their ongoing goalkeeping crisis. United only have one available ‘keeper and while Barry Ryan is an excellent man to have between the sticks, he will be suspended for Friday’s game after collecting a red card against St Pats last Monday. English full back, Rhys Meynell may well be handed the ‘keepers jersey for this game against Bray.

Wanderers will undoubtedly see this as a golden opportunity to bag a second straight win, but a defense that has conceded eight goals in the last three games will have its work cut out in containing the vibrant Galway front line.

Bray have failed to beat Galway in their last nine competitive games and took only one point from twelve against the Tribesmen in the last league season.

The key questions are simple. Can Flood and Sheppard continue their excellent form? And can Bray take advantage of Galway’s lack of goalkeeping expertise? This could be the game to go to for goals this weekend.

Referee: R. Rogers

?Venue: The Carlisle Grounds.

extratime.ie Prediction:Bray Wanderers 1, Galway United 3.