Bray Wanderers 1-0 Finn Harps
Friday, 4 April 2008After three defeats on the spin, Bray hauled themselves off the bottom of the Premier Division table with their first win of the season.
At a rain-swept Carlisle Grounds last night, Paddy Kavanagh's early second half strike and Chris O'Connor's penalty save earned the Wicklow team all three points.
Ronan Ivory's 48th minute ball from his own half saw Kavanagh get clear of Stuart Malcolm along the right flank.
As James Gallagher came out, the ex-UCD and Birmingham City winger lofted the ball beyond the keeper and bobbled over the line from 16-yards
It ended the Seagulls' long search for a top flight goal - a run of 466 minutes.
But aided by a stiff breeze, Harps hit back.
Conor Gethins' 22-yard free smacked off the outside of a post. Then Chris Breen out-jumped Chris O'Connor for a bouncing ball in the six-yard box only to head just wide.
They had the opportunity to equalise on the hour. Referee Mark Gough pointed to the spot after Derek Foran slid in to challenge Breen.
But O'Connor pulled off a fine save to keep out Gethins' penalty.
They should have really levelled matters on 67 minutes.
Substitute Marc Brolly's mazy run in off the right left three tackles in his wake only to blaze over form then-yards with the goal at his mercy.
Bray Wanderers: O'Connor; Ivory, Foran, Doherty, Cronin; Whelan, Duggan, Cawley, McCabe (Tresson 79); Kavanagh, Rowe (Dunphy 83).
Finn Harps: Gallagher; Roddy (Mukendi 77), Labonte, Malcolm, Holmes; Gill (Brolly 54), Shields (Funston 80), McGowan, Shaun Williams; Breen, Gethins.
Referee: Mark Duggan (Dublin).
