Despite being down to ten men after just 23 minutes when midfielder Chris Shields was red-carded, Bray Wanderers earned themselves a place in the fourth round of the FAI Ford Cup after a narrow victory over Leinster Senior League side Bluebell United at the Carlisle Grounds last night.

The Seagulls had a disaster start when first central defender Derettk Foran was injured in the pre-match warm-up to be replaced in the starting line-up by Gareth Coughlan.

Then after just 12 minutes fellow defender Dave Webster had to limp off after shipping an ankle injury. Dave O'Neill came on as a substitute.

It got worse for Bray when they were then reduced to ten men when Shields was sent off by Wicklow referee Richie Winter for retaliating after he had been fouled by Bluebell's Niall Donnelly in a midfield clash. Shields was shown the red card as he was stretchered off the field with dislocated hip.

In a bad-tempered opening half Bray did have one rare half-chance on 41 minutes when striker Jake Kelly had a shot from 16 yards deflected for a corner by defender Niall Donnelly.

Kelly again went close in first half added time only to see his effort pushed away for a corner by alert 'keeper Keith Gallagher. Bray then had appeals for a penalty rejected by referee Winter after a Dave Mulcahy header appeared to be handled after a Gareth Coughlan corner on the right.

Bray should really have taken the lead on 53 minutes when a cross from the right by Coughlan allowed the unmarked Jake Kelly to get in a header - but straight at 'keeper Gallagher.

Bluebell missed a glorious chance of breaking the deadlock on 64 minutes when a long throw-in on the right by Paul Connaughton was not properly cleared by Gary McCabe only for striker Graham Dunning to scoop the ball over the bar from close range.

Gallagher then excelled for the non-league side when denying McCabe. But there was nothing he could do about Bray's opener on 65 minutes when striker Paul Byrne headed home from ten yards after a corner by Dane Massey on the right.

After Aussie 'keeper Chris O'Connor had taken down Gerard Bambrick in the area, Ciaran Quinn's spot kick was brilliantly saved by the diving O'Connor.Bluebell were to rue that miss when McCabe then shot home a penalty for the home side on 86 minutes after Byrne had been taken down by Connaughton.

Bluebell did have a consolation goal in the last minute when Andrew Cleary steered home a shot from close range after a corner on the left by Glen Keddy was flicked on by Graham Dunning. But it was too little, too late for the brave Leinster Senior League side.

Bray Wanderers: O'Connor; Doyle (Massey 45), Mulcahy, Webster (D.O'Neill 12), Pender; Coughlan, Brennan, Shields, McCabe; Byrne, Kelly (S.O'Neill 62) .

Bluebell United: Gallagher; Killeen, Donnelly, Connaughton, Kenny: K.Smith (Bambrick 68), Keddy, Holllingsworth, Loughran (A.Cleary 87); Quinn, Dunning.

Referee: Richie Winter (Wicklow)