Bohemians were reduced to nine men in a tightly-contested scoreless draw with Bray Wanderers at Dalymount Park on Friday evening.

 

With both Chris O'Connor and Mark Quigley sent off, the Gypsies were left frustrated as they failed to pick up the win that would have helped to narrow the gap on league leaders Shamrock Rovers.

 

Pat Fenlon knows that they face a tough task in trying to overcome the Hoops when the teams meet on Tuesday evening and the suspensions to O'Connor and Quigley won't help.

 

Bohs were quite edgy early on in this encounter with a mix-up between O'Connor and Brian Shelley opening up a chance for Bray striker Gary Shaw but his effort was cleared. The same player profited from another mistake minutes later when he brought the best out of O'Connor with a fine shot.

 

The home side jolted into life with Glenn Cronin twice coming close with his second shot rebounding back off the post, while Paddy Madden wasted two great opportunities to put the Phibsboro outfit ahead.

 

Madden continued to threaten and kept Bray keeper Matt Gregg on full alert, but that cutting edge needed to push the Premier Division champions out in front was absent.

 

And to make matters worse, Quigley and O'Connor were dismissed in the second-half as the tension bubbled up and Bray did enough to hang on for a crucial point.

Bohemians: O'Connor; Heary (McGuinness 62), Shelley, Oman, Rossiter (Murphy 79); Cretaro, Keegan, Cronin, Quigley; Byrne (Greene 86), Madden.

 

Substitutes Not Used: Higgins, Burke. 

 

Bray Wanderers: Gregg; Webster, Prendergast, Mitchell, Houston (Shields HT); Zambra, Dempsey, O'Connor, Massey; Doyle (O'Neill 73), Shaw.

 

Substitutes Not Used: Kane, Byrne, Tuohy. 

 

Referee: P Sutton (Clare).