Playoff Report: Galway United 0-1 Bray Wanderers

Paul Corcoran reports from Eamonn Deacy Park

Bray Wanderers progressed with a 1-0 win over Galway United in the second leg of their playoff with Galway United at Eamonn Deacy Park on Sunday evening.

A single moment of excellence meant that the Tribesmen’s season ended with Brandon Kavanagh firing Gary Cronin’s men into the next round of the playoffs.

Galway United confirmed their participation in next year’s First Division despite a dominant performance by the home side throughout the second leg.

Tonight’s result acts as some form of retribution for Wanderers with Galway ending their season in last year’s playoff with a 1-0 win in the Carlisle Grounds.

The visitors sent Galway packing as the only side to beat Galway at home in three months with the Tribesmen having been on a five-game unbeaten run at home.

Galway were dominant from the off, David Hurley was first with a shot on goal in this one after some great link up play by Conor O’Keeffe and Mikie Row on the right flank in the opening minutes.

O’Keeffe’s cross narrowly missed the unmarked Wilson Waweru in the box, and it fell to Hurley who failed to keep his shot down and sent it sailing over the crossbar.

With ten minutes gone David Hurley took the ball to the end line before drilling it across the box. O’Keeffe received it but with his back to goal he had to take his chances with a back heel with Brian Maher needing to get down quickly to deny the home side the lead.

Galway piled on the pressure for the following five minutes with no less than four corners – they failed to capitalise on their chances with Stephen Walsh going closest when he met Conor McCormack’s ball with his head but Maher reacted quickly to tip the ball over the bar.

Despite the Tribesmen’s dominance, it was the visitors who took the lead with just over 20 minutes gone. A good move forward by the Seagulls ended up with Mark Byrne trapping he ball on the edge of the box before laying it off to Brandon Kavanagh who smashed the ball into the top corner for Gary Cronin’s side.

Bray managed to survive another onslaught from Galway with Rowe drawing an excellent save from Maher from a shot that looked destined for the bottom corner in the 33^rd minute. Waweru struck the crossbar from the resulting corner-kick a minute later in a crowded box with Gary Cronin surely breathing a sigh of relief once again.

Ruairí Keating was on target for the first time just minutes after the restart, Hurley send a great ball into the box from the right and the striker climbed high in the air, but he failed to get any strength on his header and Maher gathered the ball easily.

The Mayo native went close for Galway again in the 55^th minute with a free-kick from the edge of the box, the shot was destined for the bottom corner only for a slight deflection along the way which took it inches wide of the post.

McCormack and Hurley combined to set Keating up once again in the 69^th minute but the striker had his back to goal and he couldn’t quite challenge Maher with the goalkeeper smothering the ball on the ground to kill the danger.

Second half substitute Alex Murphy did well on the left with five minutes to go with the teenager beating two defenders as he took the ball to the end line before floating a cross in Keating’s direction but the striker headed the ball wide.

At the final whistle the men in maroon dropped to the ground as their season ended in disappointment while the small Bray contingent in attendance were jubilant in their little corner of the old stand in Deacy Park as they progress to face UCD in the next round.

Galway United: Conor Kearns; Joe Gorman, Killian Brouder (Maurice Nugent 60), Conor O'Keeffe, Stephen Walsh (Alex Murphy 84); Conor McCormack, Ruairi Keating, David Hurley, Gary Boylan (Shane Doherty 72), Mikie Rowe (Padraic Cunningham 84); Wilson Waweru.

Subs not used: Mikey Place, Christopher Horgan, Carlton Ubaezuonu, Luke Denison, Dean O'Shea.

Booked: Stephen Walsh (80).

Bray Wanderers: Brian Maher; Dylan Barnett (Daniel Jones 70), Aaron Barry, Richie O'Farrell, Andrew Quinn; Mark Byrne, Conor Clifford, Darren Craven (Luka Lovic 67), Ryan Graydon (Callum Thompson 80), Brandon Kavanagh; Joe Doyle (Gary Shaw 70).

Subs not used: Kian Clarke, Sam Verdon, Darragh Lynch, Steven Kinsella, Jamie Bowden.

Booked: Andrew Quinn (50) Daniel Jones (75).

Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan.

Attendance: 3,700 (official)

extratime.com Player of the Match: Brian Maher (Bray Wanderers)