Shamrock Rovers 0 Bray Wanderers 1 | Airtricity League

Shamrock Rovers 0 Bray Wanderers 1

Friday, 01 May 2009 07:39

A single second-half goal from Dane Massey gave Bray Wanderers the best possible start to the second round of this season’s Premier Division games and all three points against Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium.

A repeat of the goalless draw the sides shared on the opening day of the season looked unlikely as the home side, buoyed by their recent six game unbeaten run, took the game to Bray straight away, with Ollie Cahill’s dangerous cross almost reaching Gary Twigg at the back post in the opening minute.

Captain Shane Robinson brought a smart save out of Chris O’Connor in the visiting goal with a low drive minutes later but Bray remained compact and captain Dave Mulcahy almost stunned the home crowd with a back-post header from a Dane Massey free kick, but could not direct his effort past Duggan in goal.

A last-ditch Dave Webster intervention denied Baker a clear run on goal down the left, before O’Connor’s outstretched arm took Shane Robinson’s chipped cross off the head of Twigg, as Rovers probed for an opening.

Bray’s young side continued to frustrate with their hard work and endeavour, while growing into the game through some slick passing in midfield, and they really should have took the lead when Mulcahy again found himself free in the box from a set piece just before the half-hour mark.

This time a Massey corner saw the midfielder side step and fire on goal, once the ball dropped at his feet, only for Simon Madden to deny a certain goal on the line and Rovers frantically cleared two rebound attempts from Derek Foran and Paul Byrne.

Some neat inter-play between Twigg and Baker was the most Rovers could muster in response before half time, although Twigg did race in behind the Bray defence two minutes after the restart and test O’Connor with a low drive.

Similar to the first half, the crowd raised the volume in anticipation and Cahill threatened with another dangerous ball into the box, but Rovers never capitalised and Baker’s exit through injury did not help.

Paul Byrne was denied at the back post by a Darragh Maguire intervention as Bray continued to not only match Rovers but look the better side and when Kavanagh’s 55th minute corner found Foran free at the back post, his header back across the goal line came back off the inside of the upright and Dane Massey poked the ball into the net for the opening goal.

Substitute Tadhg Purcell fired straight at O’Connor from eight yards, before Sean O’Connor hit the roof of the net with a free kick as Rovers pushed forward for the equalizer immediately, only to come against strong resistance from Bray and it took until deep into time added on for Purcell’s charging run into the box to give the home side any hope of an equalizer but his heavy touch allowed O’Connor to avert any danger.

SHAMROCK ROVERS: R Duggan, S Madden, D Maguire, S Webb, O Cahill, S Robinson (capt), S Rice, G Twigg, S O’Connor, G Cameron (S Bradley 62), D Baker (T Purcell 50).
Not used: B Murphy, A Price, P Amond.

BRAY WANDERERS: C O’Connor, D Webster, D Massey, D Foran, C Deans, C Shields, P Kavanagh, D Mulcahy (capt), P Byrne (D Forsyth 88), J Kelly, G McCabe (J Mulroy 82).
Not used: C Tresson, D O’Neill, B Kane.

Referee: M Gough.

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