With ramifications at either side of the Premier Division, bottom of
the table Bray Wanderers beat leaders Bohemians amid controversy at Dalymount Park.
The Gypsies finished with nine men after red cards were shown to Gary Deegan and Brian Murphy as they saw their lead cut to just one point.
Relegation-threatened Wanderers are now just one point adrift of
Drogheda after their first league win in six attempts.
John Flood (26) and a Gary McCabe penalty (71) had Bray 2-0 up before Glen Crowe (89) netted a late consolation.
Referee Anthony Buttimer was the centre of the attention as the hosts slumped to their second defeat in fours days after their midweek loss to Sligo.
The first talking point arrived in the 22nd minute.
Deegan was shown a straight red card for what appeared to a stamp on John Flood.
The Gypsies were punished even further by the Seagulls within four minutes.
Dave Mulcahy’s slide rule pass picked out Flood and the former Irish Youth international skipped past Brian Shelley to fire a fierce left footed shot across Brian Murphy into the far corner of the net.
It was the attacker’s first league goal for Wanderers since July 2004.
Cork official Buttimer infuriated the home faithful even further just
before the half hour.
Anto Murphy went down inside the penalty area as he tried to skip between Gary Cronin and Dane Massey, but the referee booked the winger for apparent diving.
A sustained period of pressure saw Pat Fenlon’s men forced five
corners in the closing stages of the half.
From Ndo’s 44th minute delivery, the unmarked Murphy somehow poked over the bar from just six-yards out.
Then in the first minute of stoppage time, the same pair combined
again from another flag-kick, but Derek Pender was at the back post to clear Murphy’s header off the line.
The second contentious issue arrived in the 69th minute. From Chris O’Connor’s quick throw-out, Gary McCabe’s through ball allowed Flood to get a vital touch ahead of the on-rushing Murphy.
Assistant referee Allen Lynch flagged for a penalty which Buttimer
awarded before dismissing the keeper. McCabe stepped up to blast the spot-kick past reserve goalkeeper Matt Gregg.
Despite their two-man deficit, Bohs made a fist of it and pulled one back in the 89th minute. Killian Brennan’s corner was cleared but the winger was fed by Rossiter. The cross found the unmarked Glen Crowe who beat the offside trap and lashed in a volley off the underside of the bar.
Bohemians: 1 Brian Murphy; 2 Mark Rossiter, 5 Brian Shelley, 6 Ken Oman (25 Matt Gregg 70 mins), 3 Conor Powell; 7 Anto Murphy (15 Glen Crowe 75 mins), 4 Gary Deegan, 11 Paul Keegan, 8 Joseph Ndo; 9 Neale Fenn (16 Killian Brennan 60 mins), 10 Jason Byrne.
Subs not used: 12 Jason McGuinness, 14 Glenn Cronin
Booked: Shelley 12 mins, Murphy 29 mins.
Sent Off: Deegan - Two (2) yellow cards in 22nd minute, Murphy 69 mins.
Bray Wanderers: 1 Chris O’Connor; 2 Derek Pender, 4 Derek Foran, 3 Gary Cronin (12 John Mulroy 76 mins); 11 Gary McCabe (14 Daire Doyle 87 mins), 6 Chris Shields, 8 Dave Mulcahy, 7 Dane Massey; 9 Jake Kelly, 10 John Flood (16 Shane O’Neill 82 mins).
Subs not used: 15 Stephen Brennan, 25 Brian Kane.
Booked: Foran 53 mins, Kelly 57 mins, Doyle 90 mins.
Referee: Anthony Buttimer (Cork).
