Match Report
A team with three former Bray players, and a fine home record, faces a team with two former Town players, and a patchy record - including a lead conceded earlier in the season to the hosts. How to predict that one?
An early away goal, a harsh penalty equaliser, a home dismissal, three sure-fire Longford scoring chances spurned and a Bray penalty shout waved away in injury time: what odds would the bookies give on that?
Never mind the money side of things, that's a mug's game. Count the points.
The visitors scored from the first incident of any note in the opening half, a trade-mark long clearance by Chris O'Connor bouncing once before Kieran "Tarzan" O'Brien nipped between Danny O'Connor and Sean Dillon to deliver an unstoppable left-footed volley past the unfortunate Shay Kelly.
Dillon and Sean Prunty both had shots wide before Kelly fell awkwardly over the former under pressure from Tarzan, and after a lengthy pause for attention had to be stretchered off with what was suspected to be a disc problem.
Paul Keegan flicked an Alan Kirby cross well wide, and Stephen Gough put a fine Davy Byrne pass behind in the next few minutes, before Stephen Fox forced a corner after Kelly's replacement, Stephen O'Brien, pushed a Paul Caffrey free aside, but Pip Keogh's effort curled across the goalmouth and out.
A questionable challege by Michael Roche on Keegan initiated the next significant Bray attack, Tarzan feeding Caffrey, but when the Longford goalkeeper blocked the midfielder's shot, Fox was too far away to take advantage.
A caution for Gough following his challenge on Keith Long seemed harsh, and was to lead to worse, but so too was the penalty awarded after Colm James cleared under John Martyn, who made the most of his fall.
Dave Mooney shot cleanly to the roof of O'Connor's net.
Early in the second half, Dean Fitzgerald shot over when a Davy Byrne free came off the wall and was returned into the box; later, Martyn's shot from a Kirby free just missed a free header by Keegan.
Mooney shot left of the posts when he was clear to receive a deflected attempt by Byrne.
O'Connor joined the fray outside his area, sending Bray fans' hearts fluttering with sliced clearances and a high header that might have landed anywhere, and was lucky again later when substitute Dessie Baker shot well over from nine metres following a long clearance.
It was mid-way during the second period that Gough clashed with Tresson, and a second harsh decision against him saw him leave the field.
Some of the line decisions from then on appeared to be based on a kind of even-handedness that spurns the rules of play
Colm Tresson got away with a close kick against Longford sub Shane Barrett that ricocheted into the arms of O'Connor.
When Pat Whelan blew to penalise Longford for a sandwich foul on Bray replacement Stuart Holt, he noticed Byrne and Keogh had been on the ground; once that was dealt with he appeared to penalise Bray 10 metres from the place where the incident occurred, depriving the free-kick of much of its advantage.
In the final minute of normal time, Kieran O'Brien was waved on after he got a knock in the chest in the area, and despite his having to go down again, Whelan was insistent that play continue.
In truth, however, a penalty would have been as harsh as the one earlier against the visitors, if not harsher.
Is that the way one would like to win matches?
Answers on a postcard to Pat Whelan, if you like ...
Mícheál Ó hUanacháin
Bray Wanderers: 1 Chris O'Connor; 2 Colm Tresson (c), 4 Michael Roche, 5 Paul O'Reilly, 3 Paul O'Reilly; 11 Colm James, 6 Kevin O'Brien, 7 Paul Caffrey, 8 Philip Keogh; 9 Kieran O'Brien, 10 Stephen Fox
Subs: 12 Wayne Byrne (for Kevin O'Brien 87), 14 Paul Murphy, 15 Stuart Holt (for O'Reilly 71), 16 Robbie Dunne (for James 58 inj), 17 Ciarán Ryan
Longford Town: 1 Shay Kelly; 2 Stephen Gough, 5 Danny O'Connor, 6 Sean Dillon, 3 Sean Prunty; 7 Alan Kirby, 4 John Martyn, 8 Dean Fitzgerald, 10 Davy Byrne; 18 Paul Keegan, 9 Dave Mooney
Subs: 11 Dessie Baker (for Mooney 76), 12 Shane Barrett (for Kirby 78), 13 Alan Cawley, 14 Andy Myler, 20 Stephen O'Brien (for Kelly 26 inj)
Referee: Pat Whelan
From Bray Wanderers.ie
