Wexford FC 2 Bray Wanderers 0
It wasn’t to be for Bray in their push to reach the Elite Phase of the EA SPORTS MU15 LOI.
Instead, it was a case of what might have been at a sunny Ferrycarrig Park on Saturday against Wexford.
The 2-0 defeat meant the Seagulls could not secure a top-two placing in Group A of the first phase as they now trail second placed Bohemians by four points with having one match remaining.
When the teams met last March at the Carlisle Grounds, the Green and White’s won 2-0.
This time round, Wanderers started the game brightly and peppered the home goal with a number of half chances. However, Wexford were always dangerous on the break.
This pattern continued for the entirety of the opening half when the teams went to the dressing rooms locked at 0-0.
The turning point of the game came in a five-minute spell from the 55th minute. With the visitors exerting pressure, possession was given up. A quick pass found the hosts’ Cormac Cunningham inside the box, and he calmly slotted to the net.
Five minutes later, a defensive mix up saw the Slaneysiders’ James McBride round Seasiders goalkeeper Elliot Homan, but a Bray player was adjudged to have pulled the striker down in a goal scoring position.
A red card brought out with a penalty also awarded.
However, Homan produced a fine save low to his right to stop the spot-kick.
Despite being down to ten players, Bray had a series of chances to draw level.
But none were taken.
With the contest into the fifth minute of additional time, the Wicklow side were pushing for the equaliser.
The home team broke at pace, finding Murphy 20-yards from goal. He produced a superb, chipped effort to seal the points.
Bray Wanderers: Elliot Homan; Jamie Lynch, Kristofer Marku, Ryan Higgins, Senan Dutton; Conor Cunningham, Daniel Howard, Alex Mernagh, Zac Lawlor; Daniel Oluwadara Olusola, Olivier Gnutek.
Subs: Rhys Behan, Lewis Brady, Cillian Walsh, Kyle Jackson.
* Elsewhere in the section, leaders Shamrock Rovers overcame Klub Kildare 4-0 at Roadstone Academy.
* Bray’s last outing in the competition is set for Saturday May 17 at the Carlisle Grounds against Shamrock Rovers. The same day. Bohemians will host UCD at the Oscar Traynor Centre.
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