A two-goal blitz in as many minutes by Bray Wanderers, midway through the second half, turned this game at the RSC on its head and gave the visitors victory in a tie that was considered a ‘six-pointer’ by both managers.
The first goal arrived on 75 minutes when United defender Robbie Hedderman fouled Paul Dunphy just outside the area. David Tyrrell floated the free across the goalmouth and Colm Tresson rose above everybody else to head powerfully to the net.
Then, less than two minutes later, the Blues were rocked back on their heels when their defence was unhinged yet again. Stephen Fox dispossessed the unfortunate Hedderman and drew debutant goalkeeper Dean Delaney before steering the ball into the empty net.
United tried desperately to play themselves back into the game and finally opened their account in the 92nd. minute when substitute Robert Brosnan headed a Paul McCarthy cross past goalkeeper Steve Williams. But by then the game was lost and the score was just a consolation goal to a bitterly disappointed set of players.
While the home side had a couple of scoring chances early on through McCarthy and Vinnie Sullivan, the visitors just about shaded the first half and the Blues’ goalkeeper was kept on his toes.
Bray continually beat the offside trap, especially down the left wing, and both Chris Deans and Stephen Fox could well have scored in the 13th. and 18th. minutes. In between, Paul Caffrey got a blistering shot on target but the angle was tight and Delaney saved well at the near post.
United almost went in front on 33 minutes when David Warren skilfully took down a high ball from David Breen just outside the area. He carried it forward and then unleashed a powerful, low drive that curled just wide of the far upright.
Two minutes before half-time, Bray defender Gary Cronin whipped a dropping ball from Warren off the line and, a minute later, goalkeeper Williams, stranded on the 18-yard line, did well to get a hand to Sullivan’s goal-bound lob.
Seventeen minutes into the second half, Bray’s David Tyrrell produced a burst of speed down the left wing that left two defenders in his wake but his shot veered wide of the far upright.
United’s McCarthy cleverly dribbled the ball around several defenders in the Bray area on 66 minutes before laying the ball off perfectly for Sullivan but his shot from eight yards cracked off the underside of the crossbar and bounced back into play off the goal-line.
Waterford United: Delaney, Flynn, Hedderman, Keely (Reynolds, half-time), Breen, Hayes, Cooling, McCarthy, Sullivan, Warren (Kavanagh, 76 minutes), Harte (Brosnan, 83 minutes). Substitutes not used: Mulcahy, Holden.
Bray Wanderers: Williams, Tresson, Cronin (Kenny, 87 minutes), Derek Tyrrell, Fox, Gough, Caffrey (Cawley, 55 minutes), David Tyrrell, Deans, Duggan, Dunphy (O’Shea, 87 minutes). Substitutes not used: O’Connor, Hurley.
Referee: Derek Tomney, Dublin.
