Match Report - Wexford 1 Bray Wanderers 2

 

 

Wexford FC 1 Bray Wanderers 2 

 

Two quick-fire Cristian Magerusan’s goals midway through the second half saw Bray come from behind and take all three SSE Airtricity First Division points. 

The victory on Friday evening was the club’s first success at Ferrycarrig Park since May 2021 to get back right back into the play-off reckoning. 

Under the stewardship of Lorcan Fitzgerald and Paul Heffernan, the Seagulls trailed 1-0 at the interval. 

But responded with two goals in a four minute spell just after the hour mark. 

Wanderers lost Harry Groome to injury in the 53rd minute. He was replaced by Kieran Cruise who went out wide left as part of a reshuffle. 

Guillermo Almirall switched to the right flank with Freddie Turley moving into central midfield. Shane Griffin was pushed further forward to join Magerusan in attack. 

It paid dividend in the 64th minute. 

Zach Nolan was fouled 25-yard on the left of the box. Magerusan took the free. It took a nick off the wall and dropped to the left hand corner of the net. 

It then became 2-1 in the 67th minute. 

Skipper Darren Craven was blocked off on the right of ‘D. The ball rebounded to Magerusan who struck a driven curling effort that found the same spot as his opener from nearly the exact distance. 

There was four changes to the team who had gone down to league leaders Cork City last week at the Carlisle Grounds. 

Goalkeeper Ben Clark was handed his full senior debut for the club. Both Jamie Duggan and Nolan were recalled in defence with Almirall deployed wide left. 

On the bench, U20 custodian Jack Ellis was included for the very first time, while the clubs longest serving player Callum Thompson was included amongst the subs after injury. 

Almirall flashed wide with just two minutes on the clock after gathering Max Murphy’s hanging cross. 

But the Slaneysiders hit the front in the 19th minute. 

Cian Corbally burst from the right. His pass out left found Mikie Rowe. His 25-yard attempt that a deflection off a Bray player on its way to the net. 

Wanderers hit back on the half hour with Paul Murphy heading over Griffin’s corner. 

From another Griffin corner in the 38th minute, Groome curled over from 16-yards. 

On 61, Dobbs beat the away offside. He picked out Rowe from the right endline, but the striker’s glancing header missed the far post. 

Then came Magerusan’s equaliser. 

Yet, moments later, Rowe blasted over from the edge of the box. 

Magerusan popped up to make it 2-1 as the game was turned around. 

With ten minutes of normal time remaining, home sub Aaron Robson picked out fellow reserve Thomas Oluwa who scooped over at the near post. 

Clark then parried Dobbs’ drive from 22-yards in the 85th minute as the Seagulls controlled the remaining time to record their third away victory of the campaign. 

 

Wexford FC: Owen Mason; Reece Webb, Carl Lennox, Sean McHale, Mark Hanratty; Ethan Boyle, Luka Lovic (Kaylem Harnett 79); Mikie Rowe, Cian Curtis (Thomas Oluwa 56), Kian Corbally (Aaron Robinson 79); Aaron Dobbs. 

 

Subs not used: Cian O'Malley, James Crawford, Brandon McCann, Oisin McDonagh, Alex Moody. 

 

Booked: Corbally 63. 

 

Bray Wanderers: Ben Clark; Max Murphy, Jamie Duggan, Paul Murphy, Zach Nolan; Darren Craven, Harry Groome (Kieran Cruise 53); Freddie Turley, Shane Griffin, Guillermo Almirall (Conor Knight 78); Cristian Magerusan. 

 

Subs not used: Evan Osam, Callum Thompson, Thomas Morgan, Zayd Abada, Josh McGlone, Jack Ellis. 

 

Referee: Ray Matthews (Westmeath). 

 

Pictures: Vincent Kirwan.