Match Report - Athlone Town 0 Bray Wanderers 1 April 5 2025

 

Bray climbed up to second place in the SSE Airtricity First Division charts courtesy of a third win in eight days. 

After victories over Cobh Ramblers and UCD, Conor Knight’s first goal of the 2025 season sealed the points on Friday at the Athlone Town Stadium. 

But it was a rear-guard action at times for the Green and White’s as the away defence stood strong against the Midlanders to register a fourth away clean sheet of the campaign so far. 

Goalkeeper Jimmy Corcoran proved unbeatable on the night with a series of top-class saves, while the defence in front of him put their bodies on the line with a catalogue of clearances and blocks. 

From the team who’d defeated UCD at the Bowl the previous Monday, the Wicklow visitors made three changes. 

Jamie Duggan came in at right back which saw Harvey Warren move into central defence. 

Jordan Tallon slotted into the middle of the park with Conor Knight deployed on the left of midfield. 

On the bench, Rhys Bartley returned amongst the substitutes. 

Wanderers almost hit the front inside the opening 30 seconds. 

Billy O’Neill - wide right - got in a low cross-shoot. But Rhys Knight was inches away from converting. 

The vital score arrived in the ninth minute. Warren played a pass to Danú Kinsella-Bishop on the halfway line. 

He slipped a pass to Conor Knight on the left flank. Treading a low through ball, Conor released his younger brother Rhys. 

The teenager shielded the ball and picked out his sibling outside the box. Conor shaped to shoot then did, finding the far right bottom corner of the net. 

Athlone responded in the 12th minute. Aaron Connolly turned away from a tackle outside the box. His curling shot was brilliantly tipped around the post by a diving Corcoran. 

Then in the 27th minute, Connolly set up Kyle O’Connor. But his 20-yard drive was superbly pushed out by Corcoran. 

On the stroke of half time, Connolly picked out Ben Feeney. From the former Seagull’ 22-yard drive, Corcoran got a fingertip touch to put the ball over the bar. 

The second period was just into the 49th minute when Corcoran again made fantastic save. He sprung to his left to stop ex-Bray player Cole Omorehiomwan’s curling goal bound effort. 

Having repelled the ‘Town, Bray went close on 84 when former Wanderer Matthew Connor made a leg save to thwart substitute Calum Costello. 

In the 88th minute, sub Richard Ferizaj played in fellow reserve Bartley. But his low effort was from straight at Connor. 

 

Athlone Town: Athlone Town: Matthew Connor; John Ross Wilson, Cole Omorehiomwan, Dylan Hand, Kyle O’Connor; Noe Baba (Matthew Leal 89), Bastien Hery (Billy Gilmore 85); Kyle Robinson (Gideon Tetteh 59), Aaron Connolly (Kailin Barlow 89), Declan McDaid; Ben Feeney. 

 

Subs not used: German Fuentes Rodriguez, Adam Wixted, Brian Torre Adam Lennon, Lee Axworthy Duggan. 

 

Booked: Robinson 13, Baba 14, Connolly 40. 

 

Bray Wanderers: Bray Wanderers: Jimmy Corcoran; James Duggan, Kilian Cantwell, Harvey Warren, Max Murphy; Jordan Tallon (Paul Murphy 90+1), 

Guillermo Almirall (Calum Costello 56); Billy O’Neill, Rhys Knight (Richard Ferizaj 76), Conor Knight (Rhys Bartley 83); Danú Kinsella-Bishop (Cian Curtis 56). 

 

Subs not used: Philip Cooney, Alan Kizenga, Stephen McGuinness. 

 

Booked: Tallon 90, Duggan 90 + 3, Bartley 90 + 5. 

 

Referee: Lucas Keating (Cork). 

 

Pictures: Harry and Stefan Teehan.