Match Preview - Bray Wanderers v Drogheda United Promotion / Relegation Play-off

For the first time since 2013, Bray will contest the Promotion / Relegation Play-off Final. 

The Seagulls will come up against recently crowned FAI Cup champions Drogheda United at Tallaght Stadium on Saturday. 

After getting the better of UCD 2-1 over two-legs in the First Division play-off Semi Final, the Wicklow side overcame Athlone Town 4-2 on penalties in the First Division play-off Final at Dalymount Park earlier this month after the match had finished 2-2 after extra time. 

“The players have battled against UCD and Athlone to get us to where we are now, ”said First Team Coach Paul Heffernan. 

“Every team in the First Division fights to get to this stage of the season. We want to put in our best performance in. Hopefully, that may be enough to get a positive result”. 

 

 

Right-back Max Murphy returns after suspension. But fellow defender Paul Murphy remains banned for the tie. 

Midfielder Zayd Abada has resumed training. However, left-back Evan Osam is ruled out for the Green and White’s. 

Winger Kieran Cruise is struggling for match fitness. 

 

 

We have been involved in play-offs in six seasons as a League of Ireland club. Three of those season’s we were a Premier Division club looking to stay in the top-flight, and the other three seasons we were involved in the First Division promotion play-offs. 

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In 2009, we were defeated 1-0 away to Drogheda United in a Premier Division relegation play-off. 

We then faced First Division Sporting Final over two legs in a Relegation/Promotion play-off game. Sporting were 2-0 winners in the Morton Stadium in a game played on a waterlogged pitch in a downpour. The return leg at the Carlisle Grounds ended in a 2-2 draw with John Flood and goalkeeper Chris O’Connor on the scoresheet for Wanderers. 

Despite those results, the club were given a reprieve and played in the Premier Division the following season. 

 

In the 2010 season, we were involved in the Premier Division relegation play-off again. But lost 1-0 away to Galway United. 

We then faced First Division Monaghan United over two legs for a place in the Premier Division. 

The first game ended 0-0 in Gortakeegan and was only notable for the fact that Bray goalkeeper Matt Gregg was sent off in the final minute of the game and would miss the return leg through suspension. 

Goalkeeper Brian Kane was restored to the starting line-up for the second leg at the Carlisle Grounds for his first game in three months. 

All the drama in the game came in the final few minutes of extra time after the game ended scoreless. Chris Shields put the ball into his own net three minutes from the end of extra time. Two minutes into added on time, Wanderers were given a lifeline when Monaghan goalkeeper Gabriel Sava dropped a cross and Jake Kelly equalised from close range to bring the game to penalties. 

Gary Shaw missed our third penalty which left Alan Byrne with the chance to win the game for Monaghan. But he blasted his penalty over the bar. 

With the penalty shoot-out tied at 6-6, Paul Whelan’s effort rebounded off the bar. Chris Shields then fired in the spot-kick to earn us victory 7-6 on penalties. 

 

In 2013, Wanderers, as a Premier Division team, faced First Division Longford Town in the Promotion/Relegation play off final. 

Bray were 2-0 up in the first leg at the Carlisle Grounds with Jason Byrne netting both in the eighth and 31st minutes. Longford fought back in the second half to earn a 2-2 draw with goals from Dean Ebbe (61) and David O’Sullivan (83). 

In the return leg in Longford, Gary Dempsey put us ahead on three minutes. Longford equalised through Daniel Purdy on 58 minutes. Kieran Marty Waters restored our lead on 73 minutes only for Purdy to equalise again six minutes later. 

Four minutes from time, Kevin O’Connor found the winner for Wanderers from 35 yards to secure Premier Division survival.