Bray Wanderers 4 Cork City 3
Cristiano Bramley’s spectacular four-goal salvo sent Bray into the Quarter Finals of the EA SPORTS MU17 League of Ireland Mark Farren Cup.
Trailing 2-1 at the break on Sunday afternoon at wet and windy Carlisle Grounds, the Wicklow team battled back to secure a stunning 4-3 last 16 triumph.
The Leesides came into the contest on the back of 12 straight victories in all competitions in the 2025 season.
But it was unlucky 13 as the Seagulls hit the front in the 15th minute.
Bramley chased a through ball down the left channel and got the better of a City defender before side footing in from 15-yards.
However, the Munster cub equalised in the 24th minute.
Tom McGrath found Cian Daly on the left flank. His delivery came across to Charlie Hanover who curled in left footed from 12-yards.
Dylan O’Connell blasted against the bar for the Rebels on 28. Bramley did likewise for the hosts four minutes later.
Playing in their away strip of Orange and Black, Cork then went 2-1 up in the 34th minute, as Daly’s cross from the left wing sailed all the way to the net at the back post.
But Bray drew level in first half stoppage time.
Right-back Jack Lawless was taken down in the box when breaking clear. Bramley stepped up to make no mistake from the 12-yard dead-ball.
The second half was just 40 seconds old when Leon Creighton’s cross into the penalty area was adjudged to have been handled by a City defender.
Bramley slotted in the spot kick – ensuring he scored a hat-trick for each of last three appearances in a Green and White shirt.
He then took his tally to 13 goals (and two assists) his last five games by making it 4-2 in the 77th minute.
Creighton played a superb pass wide left to release Bramley. His header on the run took his past the last defender before curling in from 15-yards.
The visitors did pull one bac three minutes into time added on.
Goalkeeper Shane Hallihan’s free dropped int the home box. Cillian Murphy reacted to the loose ball with his 16-yard effort taking a deflection on its way to the net.
Bray Wanderers: Alex Forde; Jack Lawless, Max Free, Bailey Shelley, Luke Burke; Albie Tormey, Leon Creighton; Sean Hennelly, Flynn Ryan, Sean Howard; Cristiano Bramley.
Subs: Adeyemi Raphael Odogiyan, Jamie Lynch, Lewis Brady, Billy Feeney, Jamie Dalton.
Cork City: Shane Hallihan; Ryan O'Leary, Ikechimka Manjor-Georgewill, Donal O'Connor, Corey O'Sullivan; Tom McGrath, Dylan O Connell; Charlie Hanover, Cillian Murphy, Cian Daly; Jamie Nduwuba.
Subs: Rory Fitzgerald, Luca Camilleri, Fionnan Wrixon, Calvin O'Sullivan O'Shea, Nathan Tait.
Referee: Derek Gallagher. Assistants: Keith Neville, Mark Wynne (all Wicklow ISRS)
Pictures: Ethan Finnerty.
* Elsewhere in the Cup, St. Partick’s Athletic, UCD, Athlone Town, Cobh Ramblers, Dundalk, Waterford FC, and Wexford FC all advanced to the last eight of the Cup.
* Bray return to EA SPORTS MU17 League of Ireland Tier 2 North action on Sunday July 13 when they travel to take on Longford Town at Bishopsgate.
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