Bray (Friendly)

Comfortable win in the end for Bray at the Carlisle Grounds tonight with a lack of a cutting edge from the Youths being perhaps Shane Keegan's greatest problem prior to the opening game against Waterford next week. Wexford started with Graham, Mark, CJ, Jamie, Shane C., Brian N., Shane D., Patsy, Shane N., and Danny and Aidan Keenan up front. Wexford started reasonably well and, after five, Shane D., had his customary long-range effort from a free which was comfortably held. A minute later, Danny had a shot which the Bray keeper held at the second attempt. Bray's first chance then fell to Jason Byrne when he headed narrowly wide from a good Bray cross.Game was fairly eve thereafter although Wexford found it hard to manufacture anything in the final third. However, Bray had a good chance on the half-hour when their right-winger broke free down the right but he delayed his shot too long and an impressive CJ got a last-ditch tackle in for a corner. Bray had a free downward header from the resulting corner but it bounced onto the top of the bar and went over. With four to go, the first goal came a bit out of the blue when Bray moved the ball neatly across the pitch to leave O'Connor free to advance onto it about 30 yards out and, with nobody closing him down, he planted it into the top right corner to give Graham no chance for 1-0 to Bray at half-time.

Craig Wall made a welcome return for the Youths at half-time after a long-term injury and Brian Nolan went to right-back in place of Mark Phelan while Bray made about five changes at half-time. As usual, game suffered from the number of changes and Wexford's shape seemed to change with little happening down the wings other than Shane Clarke occasionally able to get down the left. A few half-chances fell to either side with Bray having the best and then, midway through the half, a Bray forward picked up the ball dowwn the right, moved inside and with Jamie Carr unable to get close curled a lovely shot with his left inside the left-hand post with Graham nowhere near it. Game fizzled out thereafter and the third goal fell to BRay with about fifteen to go when Graham dropped a routine shot backwards over his head and into the goal for 3-0 to Bray. Wexford's best chance of the half came inside the final twelve when a volley from the edge of the penalty area was blocked away by the Bray keeper with his legs.

Best for Wexford were CJ and Shane Clarke although CJ limped off with ten minutes to go. Shane Nolan had some good moments as well while Craig Wall showed some of his usual directness with ball at feet when he came on at half-time. Wexford will hope that the Division 1 defences will yield up more chances when the games start in earnest next week. 3-0 to Bray at full-time.