Bray Wanderers 0 - 0 Dundalk

Bray Wanderers and Dundalk will have to do it all again after they played out a scoreless draw in the FAI Cup at the Carlisle Grounds tonight.

The first half was a tight and scrappy affair with both sides failing to create any clear-cut chances through open play. Dundalk were slightly the better over the first forty five.

The Lilywhites had a half-chance inside the first minute. Jamie Duffy retrieved the ball on the left-wing and went on a mazy run. After beating two Bray defenders, he crossed in from the edge of the area. The ball was blocked down by Ray Kenny and it fell to Trevor Vaughan. Vaughan steadied himself before he blazed his effort high and wide with only 22 seconds gone.

The best chance of the half fell to Dundalk in the 15th minute. Following a Kenny foul on Tiernan Mulvenna, Dundalk were awarded a free 25-yards from goal. David Crawley stepped up and he curled the ball around the wall. Unfortunately, his shot rebounded off the post and was cleared to safety by the Bray defence.

In the 19th minute, an Alan Cawley free from the right was headed over by Aidan O’Keefe. Bray’s only shots on targets were two long-distance free-kicks by captain Cawley. Both were comfortably saved by Chris Bennion in the Dundalk goal.

The second half continued in a similar vein with both sides struggling to string passes together. Bray went down to ten men in the 59th minute when Derek Foran was given his marching orders. A smart David Cassidy ball put Mulvenna through in behind the defence with Foran hopelessly chasing him. The Seagull’s centre-back cynically tripped Mulvenna and, as the last man, was shown a straight red card.

Dundalk went close in the 71st minutes through their captain John Flanagan. A corner from the right by Crawley was met by the unmarked Flanagan but from six-yards out he somehow headed the ball wide of Gough‘s far post.

The game finally livened up after that chance with both sides having decent chances in the space of a minute. On 76 minutes, Cawley played a one-two on the left with Kavanagh before crossing into the box. Rowe’s header was deflected goalward and Bennion failed to collect the ball. The bouncing ball was hooked at goal by Kenny but Bennion recovered and eventually controlled the ball.

Straight away, Dundalk went up the other end with David Cassidy. The winger ran to the corner before playing the ball back to Flanagan whose crossed was headed over by Trevor Vaughan.

The last chance of the night fell to Bray veteran Colm Tresson. Duggan released Paul Dunphy down the left and he crossed into the middle of the penalty area for Tresson. Sub Tresson side-footed the ball but he couldn’t get his shot on target.

Bray can count themselves lucky that Dundalk failed to capitalise on their man advantage and Dundalk will be frustrated they couldn't break Bray down despite having the majority of the ball over the 90 minutes. The replay is on Monday night in Oriel Park at 7.45pm.

Bray Wanderers: Alan Gough; Gary Cronin, Gavin Whelan, Ray Kenny, Derek Foran; Gareth Coughlan (Paul Dunphy 61), Alan Cawley, Mark Duggan, Paddy Kavanagh; Ger Rowe, Aidan O'Keefe (Colm Tresson 63).
Subs not used: Brian Kane, Dave Webster, Jake Kelly, Daryl Robson, Andy Myler.

Booked: Gough (63), Duggan (75).
Sent off: Foran (59).

Dundalk: Chris Bennion; John Flanagan, Ian Ryan, Ben Whelehan, David Crawley; David Cassidy, Paul Shiels, Paul Crowley, Jamie Duffy (Dave O‘Connor 90+2); Tiarnan Mulvenna (Paul Smyth 75), Trevor Vaughan.
Subs not used: Aaron Shanahan, Simon Kelly, Shane Grimes, Paul Marney.

Booked: Crowley (34).

Referee: Ian Stokes (Dublin).

Man of the Match: David Cassidy (Dundalk).