Bray Wanderers 2-2 Shamrock Rovers
John Sullivan proved to be the Carlisle Grounds hero with a dramatic equaliser deep into injury time as Bray Wanderers came from 2-0 down in the Premier Division to salvage a big point in their battle to steer clear of relegation trouble.
Shamrock Rovers looked to be cruising at the interval with goals from Mikey Drennan and Max Blanchard seemingly having them in command, despite Bray having the better possession.
But Hugh Douglas got a goal back for Bray on 70 minutes before Sullivan struck five minutes into stoppage time.
Bray boss Mick Cooke made one change from their defeat in Derry last time out with Dave Scully starting in attack as Chris Lyons was dropped to the bench.
And only some frantic defending prevented Rovers, unchanged from their 1-1 draw with champions Dundalk last week, from falling behind on three minutes.
A determined burst from midfield saw Graham Kelly get the better of Blanchard to shoot. Keeper Barry Murphy got a touch before retreating right-back Simon Madden cleared off the line allowing Murphy to gather.
Having survived that, Rovers took the lead on nine minutes.
Bray skipper David Cassidy fouled Madden on the right edge of the home area. Drennan stepped up to curl a delightful left-foot free kick directly to the far top corner of Peter Cherrie’s net for his 12th league strike of the season.
Falling behind was a blow to Bray, who had started the better but their heads didn’t drop and further last-ditched defending by Rovers was needed to prevent an equaliser on 26 minutes.
Niall Cooney’s long ball found the run of Scully. The striker pulled the ball back for Ryan McEvoy, whose fierce drive was deflected out for a corner off Rovers’ midfielder Patrick Cregg.
Murphy then had to go full stretch to pick McEvoy’s 35-yard free kick out of the air eight minutes later.
But Bray fell further behind against the run of play on 37 minutes. Central defender Blanchard was left unattended to meet Brandon Miele’s corner and, despite Cherrie getting a hand to the ball, he couldn’t keep out the Frenchman’s header.
Bray were inches from getting a goal back four minutes later from a short-corner routine. Cassidy’s cross picked out Douglas, whose header cannoned back off the Rovers’ crossbar.
Rovers could have been a third goal up in first-half stoppage time, but for a terrific covering tackle by Michael Barker on Danny North, who had run through onto Drennan’s sublime pass.
Cregg’s pass put North through again six minutes into the second. Once again, though, Bray defended well with Alan McNally getting back to nick the ball off the Rovers’ striker’s toe.
In a more even second half, Bray got a goal back on 70 minutes.
Cassidy initially won a corner with a crisp shot bringing another fine save from Murphy. Douglas was there to meet McEvoy’s delivery with a firm header at the back post to find the net.
Pressing hard late on, it finally came good for Bray in the fifth minute of added time.
McEvoy put a diagonal free-kick into the box and midfielder Sullivan met it to score with a looping header.
Bray Wanderers: Peter Cherrie; Hugh Douglas, Alan McNally, Niall Cooney, Michael Barker; John Sullivan; Adam Hanlon (Adam Wixted 89), Graham Kelly, Ryan McEvoy, David Cassidy; Dave Scully.
Shamrock Rovers: Barry Murphy; Simon Madden, Maxime Blanchard, Dave Webster, David O’Connor; Gary McCabe, Patrick Cregg; Gavin Brennan (Damien Duff 67), Mikey Drennan (Ryan Brennan 90), Brandon Miele; Danny North (Marty Waters 77).
Referee: Rob Rogers (Dublin).
