Bray take step closer to safety

From Irish Times 11.03.02
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Bray take step closer to safety

Galway United 3 Bray Wanderers 5

11/03/02: A Flurry of second-half goals cast a dreadful first half to distant memory as Bray Wanderers moved a big step closer to Premier Division safety.

Barry O'Connor opened the scoring when finishing from just yards out from a Stephen Fox lay-off within three minutes of the restart.

But a poor clearance by Bray goalkeeper Matt Gregg, whose kick-out went straight to Alan Murphy, gifted already-relegated Galway an equaliser on 54 minutes; substitute Murphy running on to drill the ball low past Gregg for the first of a hat-trick.

Bray hit back straight from the kick-off with Phil Keogh availing of sloppy defending to score with an overhead kick.

Eddie Gormley extended Bray's lead on the hour when drilling home a free-kick after Keogh was fouled by Fran Carter on the edge of the area.

The goals continued to flow as Murphy then pulled back a second score for Galway on 64 minutes when forcing home Seán Malee's cross. But Gormley made it 4-2 three minutes later with a delightful volley from Paul Keegan's pass.

Murphy completed his hat-trick with the pick of the eight strikes with a terrific free-kick for Galway's third goal on 86 minute before Colm Tresson scored Bray's fifth, also from a 20-yard free-kick, in the final minute.

GALWAY UNITED: R Forde; Sheridan, Silke, Carter, Carberry (H. Murphy 84); Malee, Herrick, Fortune, Quirke (Leyden 84); Brennan (A Murphy 27), Miller.

BRAY WANDERERS: Gregg; Britton, Doohan, Charles, K. Doyle; O'Connor, Gormley, Tresson, Keogh; Fox (Keegan 65), Byrne.

Referee: A Buttimer (Cork).

ay United 3 Bray Wanderers 5

11/03/02: A Flurry of second-half goals cast a dreadful first half to distant memory as Bray Wanderers moved a big step closer to Premier Division safety.

Barry O'Connor opened the scoring when finishing from just yards out from a Stephen Fox lay-off within three minutes of the restart.

But a poor clearance by Bray goalkeeper Matt Gregg, whose kick-out went straight to Alan Murphy, gifted already-relegated Galway an equaliser on 54 minutes; substitute Murphy running on to drill the ball low past Gregg for the first of a hat-trick.

Bray hit back straight from the kick-off with Phil Keogh availing of sloppy defending to score with an overhead kick.

Eddie Gormley extended Bray's lead on the hour when drilling home a free-kick after Keogh was fouled by Fran Carter on the edge of the area.

The goals continued to flow as Murphy then pulled back a second score for Galway on 64 minutes when forcing home Seán Malee's cross. But Gormley made it 4-2 three minutes later with a delightful volley from Paul Keegan's pass.

Murphy completed his hat-trick with the pick of the eight strikes with a terrific free-kick for Galway's third goal on 86 minute before Colm Tresson scored Bray's fifth, also from a 20-yard free-kick, in the final minute.

GALWAY UNITED: R Forde; Sheridan, Silke, Carter, Carberry (H. Murphy 84); Malee, Herrick, Fortune, Quirke (Leyden 84); Brennan (A Murphy 27), Miller.

BRAY WANDERERS: Gregg; Britton, Doohan, Charles, K. Doyle; O'Connor, Gormley, Tresson, Keogh; Fox (Keegan 65), Byrne.

Referee: A Buttimer (Cork).