First Division

Carlisle Grounds
22 Mar 2024

Bray can have few complaints about their loss to Wexford tonight.

Despite an early start, with an encouraging ninth minute strike by Cristian Magerusan, defensive weakness on the Wanderers' left let the visitors in with practically identical goals just eight minutes apart.

Crosses from Aaron Dobbs converted by Mikie Rowe left Bray behind until a fortuitous accident by Mark Hanratty sent a Shane Griffin cross - which was actually off target - into Owen Mason's net.

The balance of play had been fairly even until then, but the Dobbs/Rowe cobination struck again before the half hour, the Wexford no. 10 this time the recipient of a neat cross to fire the visitors ahead until the break.

But the second half looked like a different game altogether. The Seagulls' passing went down a notch, their reactions were slower, and their anticipation was seriously reduced.

Cole Omorehiomwan my hve restored equality shortly after the resumpton, with a neaty taken volley from a corner, but the same defender a half hour later brought Wexford substitute Thomas Oluwa down in a race for the ball, drawing a penalty award for the visitors that the fouled striker drove straight past Jimmy Corcoran.

Still awaiting their first home victory, Bray have two more chances to achieve that mark next week.

Full report to follow

Bray Wanderers: 1 James Corcoran; 2 Max Murphy , 4 Kilian Cantwell (c), 5 Cole Omorehiomwan , 3 Evan Osam; 15 Zach Nolan, 11 Callum Thompson, 14 Freddie Turley , 8 Harry Groome; 9 Cristian Magerusan , 23 Shane Griffin
Subs: 6 Guillermo Almirall (for Griffin 70), 10 Ben Feeney (for Magerusan H/T), 16 Paul Murphy, 17 Thomas Morgan (for Thompson 88), 18 Peter Grogan, 20 Alain Kizenga, 25 Stephen McGuinness (gk), 26 Conor Knight, 31 Kieran Cruise (for Nolan 70)
Wexford: 21 Owen Mason; 20 Reece Webb, 4 Cian O’Malley, 3 Benjamin Lynch, 11 Mark Hanratty; 2 Darragh Levingston, 5 Ethan Boyle (c), 6 Aaron Robinson, 7 Mikie Rowe , 8 Kian Corbally, 10 Aaron Dobbs
Subs: 1 Alex Moody (gk), 9 Thomas Oluwa (for Robinson 62) , 12 Luka Lovic (for Levingston 72), 13 James Crawford, 14 Carl Lennox, 16 Brandon McCann (for Corbally 86), 19 Cian Curtis, 22 Oisin McDonagh, 24 Robbie O'Toole
Referee: Mark Moynihan