League Preview: Bray Wanderers -v- Dundalk

• Caoimhin Reilly
• Tue, Aug 09 2016



BRAY WANDERERS
Bray welcome league leaders Dundalk to the Carlisle Grounds tomorrow evening seeking to extend the two-point cushion that they boast over 11th placed Wexford Youths.
 
Harry Kenny has seen his side pick-up vital points in the last number of SSE Airtricity League rounds. Despite performances improving under their recently appointed head coach, Kenny watched his side pick up only four points from his opening seven league encounters.
 
Recently though, Ryan Brennan and Dylan Connolly have found form for the Seagulls, and their upturn has coincided with Bray collecting eight points from the last 12 available, ultimately escaping the relegation play-off spot at the expense of their south-eastern neighbours, Wexford Youths.
 
Wanderers have not lost at the Carlisle Ground since a 2-1 reversal at the hands of Galway United since May 14th, hence Dundalk will be up against it when they visit a typically blustery Wicklow venue on Wednesday.
 
Bray will welcome Chris Lyons back into their line-up for tomorrow evening’s encounter with the 2015 double winners, following his return to the club from Sligo Rovers.
 
Should Bray defeat the champions, they will climb five points clear of the relegation play-off slot, and ten clear of Longford Town at the foot of the table.
 
DUNDALK FC
Stephen Kenny’s men travel to the Carlisle Grounds tomorrow evening for their final domestic encounter before they take on Polish giants, Legia Warsaw in the final round of Champions League qualifying.
Dundalk succumbed to their third league loss of the season in Galway last Friday night, despite Kenny opting to play the majority of his hero’s from the BATE demolition three nights previous.
 
Vinny Faherty’s 11th league strike of the campaign in first-half stoppage time proved to be the winner in Friday’s match at Eamonn Deacy Park, meaning that the Lilywhites have now lost the same number of matches as they did during the entire 2014 title winning season, and two more than they managed in the entirety of 2015.
 
Despite his introduction after the interval on Friday night, July’s SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers’ Association of Ireland Player of the Month, David McMillan couldn’t continue his prolific run of form into a seventh game, having registered 11 goals in his previous six outings.
 
Kenny is expected to revert back to his strongest available line-up for the visit to Bray, having rested all of his regular first-teamers for Monday night’s 3-2 victory over an Everton XI at Oriel Park.
 
Ahead of their visit to Bray, Kenny encouraged the club’s fans to show their support and follow the Lilywhites to north Wicklow for their 20th league match of 2016.
 
Kenny told dundalkfc.com: “It’s a very important game for us in Bray on Wednesday night. It’s going to be a difficult game for the team in the Carlisle Grounds. We know that we are going to have a magnificent support in the Aviva Stadium next week for the Champions League play-off with Legia Warsaw but it is in Bray that we need them this week.
 
“A good travelling support has always helped us in Bray on the sea side of the ground close to the coast side. It has always been a passionate support on that side and that has been important for us.
 
“Bray Wanderers have been in good form of late and not conceding many goals which has made them strong defensively. They are going to be hard to break down so we know the challenge we have going there. We are in good form ourselves though and we are playing well I feel. We believe in ourselves. We need to go and put in a strong away performance in the Carlisle Grounds to get that victory.”
 
Referee: Neil Doyle.
 
 
MATCH STATS
There hasn’t been a goalless draw between the sides since April 2011.
 
Dundalk have only lost one of the last 14 to Bray Wanderers. Bray, then managed by Alan Mathews, prevailed 1-0 thanks to Dave Scully’s first-half header at the Carlisle Grounds (May 2014).
 
Dundalk have five former Bray Wanderers players in their squad – Gary Rogers, Gabriel Sava, Brian Gartland, Chris Shields and Dane Massey. Bray’s Peter Cherrie plied his trade with the Lilywhites for six seasons between 2009 and 2014.
 
 
MATCH BETTING
Bray Wanderers 13/2; Draw 3/1; Dundalk FC 2/5.
 
 
PREDICTION
Bray Wanderers 0-2 Dundalk FC
 
 
Bray Wanderers
Injured: Unknown.
Doubtful: Unknown.
Suspended: None.
 
Dundalk FC
Injured: Brian Gartland, Ronan Finn & Patrick McEleney.
Doubtful: None.
Suspended: None.