Wexford FC v Bray

[ForzaForth]

First leg successfully completed of vital two game weekend as Wexford face Longford on Monday and probably deserved to secure the three points against Bray in a close game in Ferrycarrig tonight. I’d prefer to face Cobh rather than Waterford in a play-off so getting fourth place instead of Athlone will be important. Wexford started with Owen, Darragh, Ethan, Mark, Luka, James, Kian, Reece, Cian, Luke and Thomas. Bray probably started the better and had the first effort on goal on five minutes which went wide of the Wexford post. After Darragh Levo had a shot after being set up by Thomas Oluwa which went straight to Connor in the Bray goal, Bray had an even better chance on fifteen minutes when a Bray forward was well set up but the shot was clipped over the Wexford crossbar. On 17 minutes, Bray should really have scored when Max Murphy had a chance to find two Bray runners inside the Wexford area, but his low cross was hit just too hard and neither Bray attacker could get a touch. After a quiet opening 20 minutes, Wexford began to get more into the game with Reece Webb, Kian Corbally, Mark Hanratty and Ethan Boyle getting more on the ball. After the half-hour mark, the ball Thomas Oluwa always is looking for, the ball in space behind the Bray defenders but not long enough to reach the goalkeeper was finally supplied – this time from a header – and Thomas used his pace to get to the ball first and finish past Connor for 1-0 to Wexford. A rare defensive error by Wexford then allowed a Bray attacker a free run in on the Wexford goal, but Owen Mason spread himself well to take ball and man to prevent a Bray equaliser. 1-0 to Wexford at half-time.

[ForzaForth]

Wexford continued to dominate much of the second half with Mark Hanratty unable to keep a good chance with a volley on target and then having another shot which went just past the Bray post. On 24 minutes, Bray got their equaliser a bit out of the blue when, at a Bray corner, the Wexford defence gave the impressive Cole Omorehiomwan too much space and he headed home with ease. 1-1 at this stage. Wexford brought on Aaron Dobbs and he soon had a great chance to put Wexford ahead again but he screwed his shot wide of the Bray post from close in after taking the ball down on his chest in space. On 32 minutes, Wexford scored a similar goal to Bray’s when Cian O’Malley was allowed to run unimpeded to the near post to meet a Wexford corner, and his header found the net for 2-1 to Wexford Danny Furlong and later Corban Piper were subs for Wexford as the game entered its final stages as Bray had two late chances to equalise again. Owen Mason was just able to push the first Bray chance around his own post for a corner and just before the end a Bray header was placed a yard or two wide. 2-1 to Wexford at the end with Longford having a crucial visit to Ferrycarrig on Moinday, In addition to Reece, Kian, Ethan and Mark, the two young lads at centre-half for Wexford – Luke Browne and Cian O’Malley – again did the business at the back up to their usual high standard. Crowd was believed to be 578. .