Bray Wanderers 3 Cobh Ramblers 1 
 
It proved third time lucky for Bray as they beat Cobh for the first time this year in the race for the play-offs. 
The previous two SSE Airtricity First Division meetings this season had seen a 2-2 draw at Carlisle Grounds back in March, while Ramblers won the reverse fixture 2-1 at St. Colman’s Park last month. 
But two goals just after the hour mark saw Wanderers take a deserved victory on Monday evening at the Carlisle Grounds. 
First team coaches Lorcan Fitzgerald and Paul Heffernan again took charge of Wanderers’ affairs. 
After Friday’s draw away to play-off rivals UCD at the Bowl, the Wicklow side recalled Shane Griffin in their only change to their line-up. 
On the bench, teenager Alain Kizenga joined the substitutes. 
The Seasiders hit the front in the 28th minute. From a pass out for the back by Justin Eguaibor, Harry Groome nipped in ahead of Dale Holland to win possession. 
The midfielder then burst into the box to angle his 15-yard left footed finish on the run low past Darragh Burke for his second goal of the season. 
Just before half time, Burke pulled off a brilliant save to push Cristian Magerusan’s 22-yard free out for a corner. 
The points were effectively sealed by the Green and White’s in the 61st minute. 
Shane Griffin played a sublime flick round the corner pass for Magerusan to spin off his marker. The striker then squared back inside to Griffin who burst into the box and slotted low past Burke to record his fifth league score of 2024. 
It got even better for the Wicklow outfit in the 67th minute. 
Groome’s slide rule pass saw Magerusan whose exquisite back heel releases the breaking Max Murphy. 
The full back deftly lifted the ball past the advancing Burke in the penalty area for his second goal of the campaign despite a last gasp attempted tackle by chasing Cobh player Luka Le Bervet. 
Bray almost added a fourth in the 73rd minute as Griffin’s curling effort rattled the post. 
The visitors pulled one back though in the 79th minute. 
Sub David Eguaibor met a corner with a volley. Stephen McGuinness got a hand to the ball but couldn’t prevent it crossing the line. 
With the match beginning the second half of the season, and although still in fifth after the victory, the result lifts Bray to within three points of both UCD and Athlone in second place. 
 
Bray Wanderers: Stephen McGuinness; Max Murphy, Kilian Cantwell, Paul Murphy, Zach Nolan; Darren Craven (Guillermo Almirall 66), Harry Groome (Alain Kizenga 80); Freddie Turley, Shane Griffin (Conor Knight 73), Kieran Cruise (Callum Thompson 66); Cristian Magerusan (Thomas Morgan 80) 
 
Subs not used: Jamie Duggan, Zayd Abada, Josh McGlone, Ben Clark. 
 
Booked: Cantwell 44, Max Murphy 86. 
 
Cobh Ramblers: Darragh Burke; Nolan Evers, Justin Eguaibor (Alessandro DeSanctis 73), Dean Larkin, Luka Le Bervet; Dale Holland, Jason Abbott; Jack Larkin, David Bosnjak, Tiernan O'Brien (Liam Kervick 68); Matthew McKevitt (David Equaibor 68). 
 
Subs not used: Dan Ryan, Oscar Allen, Cathal O’Hanlon. 
 
Booked: Justin Eguaibor 45. 
 
Referee: Jason Moore (Kilkenny). 
 
Pictures: Dermot O’Brien. 
 
Mint + Man of the Match: Cristian Magerusan. 
Bray Wanderers 1 Longford Town 1
 
Bray Wanderers 1 Longford Town 1
 
Bray Wanderers 1 Longford Town 1
 
Bray Wanderers 1 Longford Town 1
 
Bray Wanderers 1 Longford Town 1
 
Bray Wanderers 1 Longford Town 1
 
Bray Wanderers 1 Longford Town 1
 
Bray Wanderers 1 Longford Town 1
 
Bray Wanderers 1 Longford Town 1
 
 
Tagged as: Senior Team
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