Bray Wanderers 3 Galway United 2 (After Extra Time)
Super Sub Bradley Byrne popped up with the extra time winner to send Bray into the last 16 of the EA SPORTS MU20 LOI Enda McGuill Cup.
The substitute came on in the 108th minute in extra time at the Carlisle Grounds on Saturday afternoon.
And four minutes later, headed in the decisive score to earn a 3-2 first round win over Galway.
Home skipper Josh Kerr received possession wide left. He then delivered a right footed cross for Byrne to glance in a close range header.
It was redemption in some way for Wanderers because at the same stage of the competition last year, the Connacht side won 3-2 after extra time.
And two years ago, at the Semi Final stage, the away outfit defeated Bray at the Carlisle Grounds.
It was an end to end encounter with both teams going for the win throughout.
United’s Donnacha Sammon struck the outside of the post in the seventh minute before the visitors went ahead in the 22nd minute.
Kelende Abdine Jr Thiam’s measured through ball released Keelan Mullin in the box to dink past Edvinas Jakas.
But the Seagulls turned the tie on it’s head just before the break.
Philip Cooney won the ball in the centre circle. He found Max McLaughlin of the left flank. Cooney continued his run to take the return pass. Then sent over a low cross which was converted at the near post by Ilya Bednakovs.
It became 2-1 to the Green and White’s in additional time.,
McLaughlin won a tackle as the ball rebounded to Bednakovs. McLaughlin then pounced on the loose ball. He jinked off a tackle; then using two defenders as shield, guided a low right footed curling effort into the bottom right corner of the net.
However, the Tribesmen made it 2-2 in the 52nd minute. Striker Cillian Tollett rose highest to head in Adam O'Halloran’s corner.
The away side went close again on 64 as sub Andrew Horan’s long range shot clipped the crossbar.
Bray too were denied by the bar two minutes before the end of the first period of extra time as Jamie Ryan’s 20-yard effort bounced over.
In the 110th minute, Wanderers had another opportunity.
Sub Dylan Ryan delivered a free off the right flank. Jamie Ryan met it with a looping header that crashed back off the bar.
Bray Wanderers: Edvinas Jakas; Luke Nolan, Caleb O'Neill, Jack Nolan, Destiny Avenbuan; Joshua Kerr, Jamie Ryan; Ethan Cheese, Max Mc Laughlin, Phillip Cooney; Ilya Bednakovs.
Subs: Alain Kizenga, Conor Lougheed, Isaac Millington, Luke Smith, Bradley Byrne, Leon Creighton, Dylan Ryan, Sam Baker.
Galway United: Mac Darragh Scanlon; Adam O'Halloran, Billy Regan, James Morahan, Guga Kokaia; Kelende Abdine Jr Thiam, Dara Kavanagh; Jacob Carroll, Keelan Mullin, Donnacha Sammon; Cillian Tollett.
Subs: Luc Griallais, Eimhin Faherty, Andrew Horan, Dorian Sammon, Jack Sweeney, Galius Babonas.
Referee: Paul Farrell. Assistants: Jason Ray, Sahin Yasar.
* Elsewhere in the competition, Klub Kildare, Bohemians, Cobh Ramblers, Sligo Rovers and Dundalk all advanced to round two.
Share this post: