Bray Wanderers 2 Kerry FC 0

Posted on 21st September 2024 at 10:31

A goal in each half moved Bray up to the third in the race for the SSE Airtricity First Division play-offs.

Harry Groome and Guillermo Almirall were on the scoresheet for the Wicklow side as they made it back to back home wins at the Carlisle Grounds on Friday night.

The victory continued Wanderers’ Indian sign over Kerry, now having won all four home fixtures against the team from the Kingdom, and unbeaten in all eight fixtures between the clubs since 2023.

From the team who’d drawn with Wexford three days previous at Ferrycarrig Park, there was two changes to the home starting line.

In came Zach Nolan at left back with Cristian Magerusan joining the attack.

That saw positional changes too with Kieran Cruise operating on the left flank and Guillermo Almirall switching to the right wing.

In truth, it was a comfortable night for Wanderers who were never troubled by the visitors.

Magerusan went close as early as the second minute. After initially rounding away goalkeeper Antonio Tuta, the striker fired intro the side netting.

The Green and White’s needed just eight minutes though to hit the front.

Nolan burst from the left of the halfway line and passed infield. Magerusan dummied with Groome breaking forward.

He then found Shane Griffin before taking the return pass in the box and slotting his fourth goal of the season from ten-yards.

It took a superb tip-over save by the custodian in the 37th minute to prevent the hosts adding to that score off Shane Griffin’s dipping 25-yard free-kick.

The visitors came more into the tie before the break.

From Oran Crowe’s centre, Ryan Kelliher’s looping header finds the top of the roof netting in the 42nd minute.

Then just on half time, The ball ran to Kelliher off the left byline. But Jimmy Corcoran blocked the cross-shot at his near post.

That’s as good as it got for the away team as the Seasiders recorded their tenth league clean sheet of the campaign.

Once Bray claimed their second score early in the second period, the result was never in doubt.

It arrived in the 53rd minute when Max Murphy clipped a ball infield off the right touchline for Almirall. With space in front of him, the Spaniard drilled into the bottom right hand corner from 25-yards.

Wanderers did have further chances to add to their tally before the end.

Magerusan beat the offside in the 65th minute. But his chipped effort from 15-yards went wide.

Then in the 82nd minute, substitute Darren Craven’s bullet header off Cruise’s corner was kept out by Tuta’s save at the near post.

Moments later, a mis-directed back pass saw sub Ben Feeney nip on. But from eight-yards, his attempt was blocked by a diving Tuta.

Bray Wanderers: Jimmy Corcoran; Max Murphy, Kilian Cantwell, Cole Omorehiomwan, Zach Nolan; Harry Groome (Darren Craven 67), John O'Sullivan; Guillermo Almirall (Conor Knight 81), Shane Griffin (Zayd Abada 81), Kieran Cruise (Callum Thompson 88); Cristian Magerusan (Ben Feeney 67).

Subs not used: Jamie Duggan, Josh McGlone, Billy O’Neill, Stephen McGuinness.

Booked: Magerusan 40, Max Murphy, O’Sullivan 85.

Kerry FC: Antonio Tuta; Finn Barrett, Andrew Spain, Ethan Kos, Sean O'Connell; Cian Barrett (Nathan Gleeson 61); Oran Crowe (Tom Healy 85), Ronan Teahan, Sean McGrath (Kennedy Amechi 72), Valerii Dolia (Cian Brosnan 61); Ryan Kelliher (Andrew Kerins 72).

Subs not used: Robert Vasiu, Samuel Aladesanusi, Victor Udeze, Darragh Foley.

Booked: Spain 26, Teahan 36, Gleeson 61, Crowe 74, Healy 90 + 2.

Referee: Aaron O’Dowd (Dublin).

Mint + Man of the Match: Cole Omorehiomwan.

Pictures: Dermot O’Brien.