Bray Wanderers 4 Wexford FC 2
A brace of goals early in each period by Flynn Ryan paved the way for Bray to start the 2026 MU20 League of Ireland Group 1 season with a victory.
Leading 2-1 at the break on Saturday afternoon at the Carlisle Grounds, Wanderers ran out 4-2 deserved winners against Wexford.
Just seven minutes had ticked by before the Green and White’s took the lead.
Luke Smith’s cross from the left was only partially cleared to the waiting Flynn Ryan. His sweetly struck right-footed half volley took a slight nick off an opponent before flying low to the net.
It took a fantastic reaction save by Alex Forde to keep the hosts in front in the 24th minute. He readjusted after initially going the wrong way to keep out Evan Whelan’s 20-yard drive.
The Wicklow side doubled their lead in the 39th minute.
Max McLaughloin won possession as the visitiors tried to play out in from their own penalty area.
He slipped in Cristiano Bramley to his left, with the attacker firing a fierce left footed shot past Adam Hearne at his left hand upright.
But the Slaneysiders rallied to pull one back in first half stoppage time.
Jack Larkin’s astute ball over the top saw Adam Dobbyn time his run down the left flank to deftly lob the advancing Forde from 20-yards
A blistering start to the second period saw Bray go 4-1 up by the 51sth minute.
In the 49th minute, Ethan Cheese’s corner saw Hearne pull off a point blank save to deny Leon Keogh’s header.
The ball was cleared to the edge of the box. Flynn Ryan shot with the ball taking a wicked deflection, and looping to drop just under the crossbar.
Just over 60 seconds later, Bramley and Keogh combined to provide Philip Cooney who found the net with a sublime finish close in.
The away club made it 4-2 in the 68th minute. Forde dived to his right to parry out Darragh Kinch’s 20-yard effort. But sub Tony Dyle followed up to bury the rebound.
Bray Wanderers: Alex Forde; Jack Lawless, Bailey Shelley, Caleb O'Neill, Luke Smith; Ethan Cheese; Phillip Cooney, Flynn Ryan, Max McLaughlin, Cristiano Bramley; Leon Keogh.
Subs: Max Free, Darragh Butler, Eric Schútte, Luke Burke, Leon Creighton, Sean Howard, Ryan Owens, Dylan Ryan, Jamie Dalton.
Wexford FC: Adam Hearne; Alex Norval, Kian Dignam, Daniel McGrath, Adam Dobbyn; Jack Larkin; Shane O'Sullivan, Ryan Scanlon, Evan Whelan, Darragh Kinch; Kyal Byrne.
Subs: Tony Doyle, Darragh Sherlock, Darragh Buttle, Haig Conroy, Ryan Wycherley, Jamie Stafford Doyle, Oscar Ramsey, Liam Billings.
Referee: Patrick Roche. Assistants: Jamie Purcell, Eoin Fagan.
Pictures: Ethan Finnerty.
* Elsewhere in the section, Waterford FC defeated CK United 1-0 at the Valley Ballon, while Shamrock Rovers beat Klub Kildare 5-0 at FBD Hotels and Resorts Park.
* Bray are due to travel to face Shamrock Rovers at Roadstone Academy on Saturday February 28.
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