Alan Murphy’s first half strike earned Galway their opening win of the Premier Division season.
The Tribesmen claimed all three points as they outplayed ten-man Bray at the Carlisle Grounds.
After Gary Rogers had thwarted Clive Delaney from an Alan Cawley corner and Chris Deans slicing the close range the follow-up over, United claimed the vital 27th minute breakthrough.
Ciaran Foley evaded two opponents to pick out Murphy. He turned Deans and hit a low drive from 16-yards that squirmed through Chris O’Connor’s grasp.
But the Seagulls almost equalised moments later as Alan Cawley’s 20-yard chip caught out Rogers but hit the bar.
The Galway stopper again denied the towering Delaney off another Cawley flag-kick before John Russell blasted across the face of goal at the other end.
Just before half time, a Delaney miscue gave possession to Barry Moran whose hooked effort dropped just wide of the far post.
The Wicklow side were reduced to ten men in the 54th minute when Stephen Gough picked up a second yellow for a second foul on Ciaran Foley.
With the extra space, the visitors went close to adding a second through Foley and John Russell twice.
But Wanderers almost snatched an undeserved point in the 86th minute. Substitute Derek Tyrrell met Cawley’s free with a looping header that dropped inches wide of the near post.
Bray Wanderers: O’Connor; Tresson, Deans, Delaney (Derek Tyrrell 6 mins), Cronin (David Tyrrell 60 mins); Cawley, Hurley (Caffrey 72 mins), Gough, Duggan; Fox, Dunphy.
Galway United: Rogers; James, Charles, Nootimeer, Tracy; Moran (Glynn 79 mins), Russell, Murphy (Lester half time), Foley (Cooke 69 mins), O’Brien; O’Flynn.
Referee: Ian Stokes (Dublin).
