Match Report - Longford Town 0 Bray Wanderers 1

 

On a night when the club registered our 1,500th League goal in the League of Ireland wsince joining back in 1985, Wanderers began the 2025 SSE Airtricity First Division in winning fashion. 

A 14th minute own goal saw the Seagulls leave Bishopsgate with all three points in a 1-0 success over Longford. 

The away side fielded a squad of 20 players with an average age of 21.70, while the starting XI’s average age was 21.36. 

In total, there were seven starting debuts – defender Kyle Degelman, midfielders Rhys Bartley and Cian Doyle; wingers Thomas Considine and Calum Costello as well as forward Cian Curtis. 

The other – attacker Richard Ferizaj – became the clubs fourth youngest ever first-team player 16 year and two days. 

Off the bench, striker Danu Kinsella-Bishop and midfielder Jordan Tallon, debuted as substitutes. 

It was the Red and Blacks who went close early on. 

Dean O’Shea’s third minute long throw wide right came back to him. The full-back lofted the ball back into the box. Daniel Norris got there ahead of Jimmy Corcoran. But his header came back off the far post. 

Yet, the Green and White’s forged a 14th minute – albeit somewhat fortuitous – breakthrough. 

Degelman struck a free-kick 40-yards out off the right flank left footed with pace. 

The ball glanced off the head of the ‘Town’s Eric Yoro with Harry Halwax unable to keep out the bouncing ball as it nestled in the net. 

The Wicklow outfit went close to doubling that advantage in the 43rd minute. 

From Corcoran’s long punt, Costello helped on off the left side. Ferizaj played a superb cross pass over the top for Considine to latch onto. He then placed a low effort that clipped the outside of the left hand upright. 

Bray continue to press after the interval. 

Halwax denied Considine with a diving save on 58. Then on the hour, the custodian got down low to keep out Costello’s 22-yard free-kick. 

Longford went close in the 80th minute when Norris’ half volley whistled narrowly wide from the edge of the box. 

There was late drama in the last minute if normal time. 

Home skipper O’Shea saw his swerving 25-yard effort crash back off the bar while in the follow up, the hosts’ claim for a penalty were waved away. 

 

Longford Town: Harry Halwax; Osaze Irhue (Etoile Emmanuel Milongo 90 +1), Eric Yoro, Andrew Spain, Dean O'Shea; Emre Topcu; Dean George (Francis Campbell 69), Pharrell Manuel (Ross Fay 90 +1), Aaron Doran (Joshua Harsani Giurgi 86), Daniel Norris; Daragh Murtagh (Emmanuel James 69). 

 

Subs not used: Aaron Walsh, Oisin Hand, Jacob Flood Norton, Jack McCarthy. 

 

Booked: Spain 59, Yoro 90. 

 

Bray Wanderers: James Corcoran; Max Murphy, Kilian Cantwell, Paul Murphy, Kyle Degelman; Rhys Bartley ((Jordan Tallon 78), Cian Doyle; Thomas Considine, Richard Ferizaj (Rhys Knight 87), Calum Costello (Conor Knight 77); Cian Curtis ((Danu Kinsella Bishop 71). 

 

Subs not used: Harvey Warren, Guillermo Almirall, Jamie Duggan, Phillip Cooney, Stephen McGuinness 

 

Booked: Costello 21, Tallon 81, Max Murphy 90 + 2. 

 

Referee: Lucas Keating (Cork). 

 

Pictures: Michael P Ryan (Sportsfile).