U17 Match Report – Bray Wanderers 4 Derry City 2

Bray Wanderers 4 Derry City 2 

 

Bray twice came from behind to register their EA SPORTS MU17 LOI Group A win of the 2024 season. Derry led 1-0 then 2-1 only to be pegged back by the hosts by half time on Sunday afternoon. Wanderers then struck two unanswered goals in the second period at the Woodlands in Greystones to take all three points. The Candystripes came into the contest after successive defeats to Drogheda United (1-0) and Finn Harps (3-2). But they took a 12th minute lead through Carragher Friel’s penalty. Yet the Green and White’s – who succumbed to Shelbourne (1-0) and Drogheda (4-2) previously this term – restored parity just 90 seconds later through Billy O’Neill’s spot-kick. That joy was short-lived as from Shea McGinley’s free wide left in the 15th minute, Callum Downey scored with a glancing header. However, Wanderers went in level at the break. Kian Dowling’s right-wing centre in the 43rd minute was cleared. Ronan Dawson bravely won a tackle just outside the box. He then burst through to drill low to far bottom left corner of the net. Bray went ahead for the first time just after the hour mark. O’Neill peeled off his marker to drive a fierce shot on the run form the edge of the box that away goalkeeper Oran White could only palm into the net. The success was sealed in the 86th minute. From Ethan Cheese’s slide-rule pass down the left channel, sub Philip Cooney got in behind the away defence. He then superbly angled a low shot from 15-yards that rolled inside the far right post. 

 

Bray Wanderers: Jack Ellis; Conor Lougheed, Jack Nolan, Luke Smith; Aidan Kane; Ronan Dawson; Kian Dowling, Rhys Knight, Ethan Cheese; Billy O’Neill, Bradley Byrne. 

Subs: Max Free, Phillip Cooney, Bailey Shelley, Flynn Ryan, Sean Hennelly, Cristiano Bramley, Ryan Owens, Eric Schütte, Alex Forde, David Winkler. 

 

Derry City: Oran White; Shea McGinley, Cead McGrath, Zach McAuley, Aron KC; Jack Havlin, Callum Downey, Luke McCourt, Zhai Glackin; Gavin Friel, Carragher Friel. 

Subs: Oliver Devlin, Euan Quigley, Alex Cullen, Stephen McNulty. 

 

Referee: Joe Byrne. Assistants: Ruben Collins, Mark Wynne (all Wicklow ISRS). 

 

Pictures: Ethan Finnerty. 

 

* Elsewhere in the section, leaders Shelbourne defeated Bohemians 4-1 at the Oscar Traynor Centre. It ended score-less between Drogheda United and Dundalk at the MDL Grounds. 

 

* Bray are idle next weekend.