Bray Wanderers 3 CK United 1
A Flynn Ryan double and a vital Alex Forde penalty save guided Bray to the U17 LOI Academy Plate.
Substitute Aaron Murphy also came off the bench to seal the 3-1 victory over CK United at the Carlisle Grounds.
With the club’s U15 side having ended a four-year wait for silverware just hours beforehand, the 17s followed up by beating the same opposition to make it a memorable double.
The hosts began brightly, with Ryan Owens volleying over after just five minutes.
In the tenth minute, after a home defensive lapse, goalkeeper Alex Forde bravely blocked the breaking Kieran Dunne in the box.
The Seasiders went ahead in the 23rd minute.
Cristiano Bramley was fouled breaking in off the right flank. From the 22-yard free-kick, Ryan’s dead-ball ricocheted off a player in the wall and looped to the net.
That lead was doubled in the 33rd minute. It was a truly remarkable team move.
Started by a throw-in by Luke Burke in the oppositions half, Albie Tormey Murphy, Bailey Shelley, Max Free, and Jack Lawless were involved, before skipper Free found Bramley on the right.
He slipped a pass infield to Leon Creighton who then set Bramley in off the right flank. His low centre picked out Ryan who side footed to the net from 12-yards.
But the visitors hit back to make it 2-1 in the 39th minute.
After good work by Oluwatimilehin Adeleye wide right, Akachi Ogbulafor angled in a low swivel first-time effort that went in just inside the far left upright.
Wanderers right-back Jack Lawless brought a fine reaction save out of United custodian Darragh O'Neill in the 42nd minute.
The Carlow/Kilkenny outfit then had the opportunity to go in level at the interval.
Ogbulafor was fouled in the penalty area in the 45th minute. But Forde dived low to his right to smother Ogbulafor’s spot-kick.
In a tight second period, Shelley rifled a 25-yard effort just off target in the 65th minute
Seconds later, Ryan latched onto a long ball from the back to get into the danger zone. But O’Neill made the reaction save.
Then in the 82nd minute, Ryan set Bramley free in on goal, only for the CK stopper to make the solid save.
But the win was wrapped up in the Green and White’s favour in the 83rd minute.
Murphy intercepted a CK free in the centre circle. The ball ran to Bramley who burst forward.
Faced with one defender, he slipped a pass left to Murphy. The sub cut back inside to curl a brilliant finish from the ‘D to the top right hand corner of the net.
Bray Wanderers: Alex Forde; Jack Lawless, Max Free, Bailey Shelley, Luke Burke; Albie Tormey Murphy, Leon Creighton; Cristiano Bramley, Flynn Ryan, Ryan Owens; Romeo Fomenky.
Subs: Adeyemi Raphael Odogiyan, Karl Ralph, Aaron Murphy, Sean Howard, Jamie Lynch, Daniel Oluwadara Olusola, Billy Feeney, Jamie Dalton.
CK United: Darragh O'Neill; Cameron Pedreschi, Darragh Daly, Christopher Bahon, Philip Kacprzak; Axel O'Rock, Kayne Kenna Herbert; Akachi Ogbulafor, Rhys Johnson, Kieran Dunne; Oluwatimilehin Adeleye.
Subs: Kian Smith, David Valainis, Ivan Voloshyn, Freddie Horne, Zak Fenton, Aaron Nolan, Andrian Robu, Charlie Mallon, Alfie Black.
Referee: Pierce McKittrick. Assistants: Gregory Walls, Mark Wynne.
Player of the Match: Cristiano Bramley.
Pictures: Ethan Finnerty.
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