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Bray benefit from late Galway own goal

Graham Kelly missed an early penalty for Bray
Graham Kelly missed an early penalty for Bray

Galway United 0-1 Bray Wanderers

Bray Wanderers claimed a fourth SSE Airtricity League win on the spin after netting a controversial stoppage time winner in the Airtricity League Premier Division at Eamonn Deacy Park.

Galway substitute Samuel Oji put the ball into his own net deep into stoppage time as Mick Cooke's team earned the full complement of spoils.

Bray missed a first half penalty when Graham Kelly's spot-kick was well saved by Galway goalkeeper Conor Winn.

Padraic Cunningham went close on a couple of occasions for the understrength Tribesmen, who failed to fire against the well organised visitors.

It was improving Bray's fourth clean sheet on the spin and Mick Cooke's team frustrated the locals for large chunks of a grim game.

Galway went close in the third minute when Jake Keegan wriggled clear to rifle a shot narrowly wide from distance.

Seconds later there was drama as referee Sean Grant deemed that Marc Ludden fouled Chris Lyons in the Galway area.

Graham Kelly's subsequent penalty was brilliantly saved by Conor Winn as Galway survived a significant scare.

Winn had to be alert again in the fifth minute when dealing with another Kelly effort as Bray continued to probe.

At the opposite end Galway's promising teenage attacker, Padraic Cunningham, was then denied by a last ditch Alan McNally clearance.

Cunningham was lively up front for Galway, but Peter Cherrie saved a fiercely struck shot from the youngster in the 32nd minute.

When the interval rolled around the teams were still deadlocked and the third quarter was surprisingly short on incident until the 66th minute.

Lyons manufactured space and then located Ryan McEvoy with a sharp pass, but Oji reacted promptly.

In the 84th minute the busy Lyons drilled a shot wide and then Galway had their best chance of a disappointing second period.

Skipper Paul Sinnott unleashed a crisp volley from 20 yards, but Cherrie saved and Bray departed with a victory when Oji diverted a David Cassidy cross past Winn.

Galway United: Conor Winn; Colm Horgan, Paul Sinnott, Stephen Walsh, Marc Ludden; Gary Shanahan, Alex Byrne, David O’Leary (Jason Molloy, 67), Jake Keegan; Ryan Connolly (Samuel Oji, 21); Padraic Cunningham.

Subs not used: Ger Hanley, Enda Curran, Killian Cantwell, Conor Barry, Cormac Raftery.

Bray Wanderers: Peter Cherrie; Hugh Douglas, Alan McNally, Niall Cooney, Michael Barker; John Sullivan; David Cassidy, Graham Kelly, Ryan McEvoy, Adam Hanlon (Gareth McDonagh, 67); Chris Lyons.

Subs not used: Corey Chambers, Adam Wixted, Emeka Onwubiko, Adam Mitchell, Dave Scully, Daniel O’Reilly.

Referee: Sean Grant (Wexford).

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