McCormack Masterclass as Bray Blow Away Cobh in Five-Star Carlisle Thriller
Gareth Danaher reports from the Carlisle Grounds.
Bray Wanderers produced their best performance of the season as they dismantled Cobh Ramblers 5-1 at the Carlisle Grounds on Friday night, with Ben McCormack stealing the show with a sensational first-half hat-trick.
The Seagulls came into the game looking to end a difficult run of form, and they could hardly have made a better start. McCormack opened the scoring after just two minutes, finishing clinically to settle any early nerves and ignite the home crowd. Bray continued to play on the front foot, moving the ball quickly and pressing aggressively whenever Cobh tried to build from the back.
McCormack doubled the advantage on 33 minutes with another composed finish before completing a remarkable hat-trick seven minutes later. His treble capped a devastating opening 45 minutes for Bray, who went into the break 3-0 ahead and firmly in control.
Cobh struggled to cope with Bray’s pace and movement throughout the evening, and the home side continued to dominate after the interval. John Bilili Sesay added a fourth in the 57th minute after another flowing attacking move, effectively ending the contest before the hour mark.
To their credit, the visitors kept battling and managed to pull a goal back through Rhys Kelly-Noonan in the 71st minute, but any hopes of a comeback were quickly extinguished. Bray restored their four-goal cushion late on when Tyreik Sammy converted from the penalty spot with ten minutes remaining to complete a memorable 5-1 victory.
The result marked a huge boost for Bray Wanderers after a difficult spell, while Cobh were left to reflect on a night where they were thoroughly outplayed. McCormack’s clinical finishing and Bray’s relentless attacking display ensured the Carlisle Grounds crowd went home delighted after one of the standout performances of the First Division season so far.
Paul Heffernan’s men will be looking to keep their winning form intact next Friday night (15th May) as they face a tough test away to UCD in the “East Coast Derby”. Kick off at the UCD Bowl is at 7:45pm.
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