Bray Wanderers 0 Wexford FC 2
A new-look Bray fell to an opening day defeat at home to Wexford in the MU17 League of Ireland Group 1.
Played in blustery conditions on Sunday afternoon at the Carlisle Grounds, the sides went in level scoreless at the break.
But two goals in the second period saw the visitors secure a 2-0 victory.
There was six debuts for the home team, with no less eight players coming up the last season’s U15 team.
The best chances in the opening period went the way of the Slaneysiders.
Jamie Dalton tipped over Alex Mazur’s sixth minute shot from the edge of the box while in the 37th minute, Ivan Voloshyn dragged his low effort across the face of goal.
The second half was just two minutes old when Wexford broke the deadlock.
The hosts' Daniel Olusola appeared to be fouled in the lead up while Voloshyn appeared to offside while latching onto Filip Kopczak’s through ball before scoring from 12-yards.
Just before the hour, Ryan Higgins appeared to be fouled but referee Joeseph Byrne played on. Sean Galway then slipped Charlie Mullan clear with his low effort from 15-yards rolling just inside the far right post.
Both Galway and Mazur went close again for the visitors after that.
But the Slaneysiders were reduced to ten men in the 72nd minute when referee Byrne consulted with his Assistant Cillian O’Reilly which led to Galway being dismissed for something allegedly said.
Wanderers came close to pulling one back in the 75th minute. But Taylor Butler’s free-kick whistled narrowly wide.
Bray Wanderers: Jamie Dalton; Lewis Brady, Ryan Higgins, Tadhg Fuller, Karl Ralph; Alex Mernagh, Jonathan Nuzum; Daniel Olusola, Niall Murphy, Taylor Butler; Promise Akinyemi.
Subs: Evan Lynch, Saul Corrigan, Kyle Jackson, Conor Cunningham, Zac Lawlor, Daniel Howard, Elliot Homan.
Wexford FC: Luke Axinte; Shane Jordan, Aaron O'Leary, Tomas Brennan; Sean Galway, Kian Smith, Darragh Mallon, Filip Kopczak; Charlie Mullan; Ivan Voloshyn, Alex Mazur.
Subs: Archie Renwick, Oisin O'Connor, Josh Finn, Cian Murphy, Jude Rossiter, Cormac Cunningham, Hugo Morris, Fionn O'Carroll, Maksym Gorczyca.
Referee: Joe Byrne. Assistants: Darren O’Brien, Cillian O’Reilly (all Wicklow ISRS).
Pictures: Ethan Finnerty.
* Elsewhere in the section, Shamrock Rovers beat Klub Kildare 2-0 at FBD Hotels and Resorts Park while CK United defeated Waterford FC 3-0 at United Patk (Thomastown).
* Bray are away on Sunday March 1 to take on Shamrock Rovers at Roadstone Academy.
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