Bray Wanderers 1-0 Galway United

Gary McCabe’s 35th minute goal sent Bray Wanderers to third place in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division after a 1-0 win over Galway United at the Carlisle Grounds.

Bray withstood central defender’s Conor Kenna’s 63rd minute dismissal for a second yellow card after a reckless tackle on Colm Horgan.

McCabe poke home for his seventh league goal of the season for the in-form Seagulls

Galway United remain bottom of the division having collected just three points from their opening seven league games.

Dylan Connolly set the stage early on as he forced Conor Winn into a smart save with five minutes on the clock. 

Connolly, firing from the edge of the box, had Winn down to push the ball away low to his right, with the Galway defence quickly closing  out Aaron Greene’s follow up.

Referee John McLoughlin was the scourge of the crowd on 26 minutes as he waved away Gary McCabe’s appeals for a penalty under pressure from Colm Horgan.

McCabe had collected a short Mark Salmon free kick inside the area, weaved his way past two Galway defenders before limply going down under Horgan’s challenge.

The winger gave Bray the lead 10 minutes before half having weakly struck Aaron Greene’s nod on which Conor Winn failed to grasp.

McCabe quickly pounced to poke the ball under the Galway keeper for his third goal in as many Carlisle Grounds games.

McLaughlin waved away Galway’s second claim for a penalty six minutes later, Conor Melody jersey’s was tugged by Hugh Douglas in the box, but McLaughlin waved away the appeals.

Bray picked up where they left off after the break, Mark Salmon’s edge of the box effort was just over the bar from McCabe’s corner.

There was drama at both ends three minutes later Marc Ludden’s shot blocked by Salmon. At the other end Dylan Connolly steered the ball past Conor Winn but wide.

Bray were reduced to 10 men on 63 minutes as Kenna received a second yellow card for that late challenge on Horgan. 

McCabe spurned the chance for a second on 71 minutes, blazing high over the bar having been found free with an inch perfect cross by Keith Buckley.

Galway targeted make shift right back Keith Buckley, but showed a bluntness in attack as they failed to trouble Bray keeper Peter Cherrie.

The result sees Bray move to third place in the table while Galway remain the league’s bottom club with just three points from a possible 21.

Bray Wanderers: Peter Cherrie, Hugh Douglas (Jamie Aherne 43 (Derek Foran 65), Conor Kenna, Tim Clancy, Alan Kehoe, Keith Buckley, Mark Salmon, John Sullivan, Dylan Connolly, Gary McCabe (Ryan Brennan 83), Aaron Greene

Galway United: Conor Winn, Lee Grace, Stephen Folan, Alex Byrne (Vinny Faherty 69), Colm Horgan, Paul Sinnott (Gary Shanahan 69), David Cawley, Marc Ludden, Conor Melody, Jesse Devers, Ronan Murray

Referee: John McLoughlin (Roscommon)