Derry City will be delighted to have got the season off to a 1-0 winning start at a breezy Brandywell last night, but it took the brilliance of Paddy McCourt to spark this fixture against Bray into life.
In fact, it was Bray who had owned the ball during the opening half an hour but McCourt woke his side up from their slumber when the tricky winger produced a flash of wizardy to change the course of the match in the 31st minute.
Indeed, up until that point Eddie Gormley’s newlook side, which boasted no less than five debutantes, were more than holding their own as Derry huffed and puffed yet failed to penetrate.
Paul Caffrey and Derek Tyrrell had threated for Bray before McCourt worked his way up the right flank and having left David Tyrrell in his wake, his delicate chip into the danger area from the by-line saw Kevin McHugh’s lob deflect off a defender on his way to the net.
That goal, which came totally against the run of play, saw the home side gain dominance and within the space of seven minutes the home side could and should have added two further goals.
In the 32nd minute Mark Farren was played through by Barry Molloy but when facing a one-on-one situation with Bray keeper, Steve Williams, the Derry striker opted for power and directed his shot over the cross bar.
And Farren was in again in the 37th minute when he outwitted Clive Delaney to force another one-on-one will Williams but on this occasion the keeper parried the shot wide of his goal.
Kevin Deery then forced Williams into another save from a 18 yards free-kick as the home side continued to grow in confidence.
After the break it was the visitors who created the first clear-cut chance in the 69th minute but while Stephen Fox did well to get in behind the Derry defence, his pass across the face of goal proved too strong and the chance was lost.
A long range effort from Derry’s Eddie McCallion failed to trouble Williams in the 82nd minute as the second half proved hugely disappointing in front of the attendance of around 4,000.
McHugh, however, could have ended the tie as a contest when racing onto an incisive Deery pass in the 84th minute but the Donegal man lashed the ball high over the Bray crossbar.
And, by the same token Paul Caffrey went close to restoring equality minutes later but his shot also failed to hit the target.
Derry City – Jennings; McCallion, Kelly, Oman, Hargan; Deery, Molloy, Higgins (McGlynn, 73 mins.) , McCourt; McHugh, Farren.
Bray Wanderers – Williams; Derek Tyrrell, Delaney, Deans, Cronin; Tresson (Kenny, 87 mins.), Gough (Duggan, 78 mins.), Caffrey, David Tyrrell; Fox, Dunphy (McCabe, 76 mins.).
Referee – Mr. Damien Hancock (Dublin).
