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The Seagulls return to the East coast with three points thanks to a much improved team performance against what has to be admitted is also a much improved Ramblers side. On this display, the southernmost club could create quite a few upsets in the First Division in the course of the season.
Lively and well capable of robbing the ball, the Cobh midfield made trouble for their visitors from start to finish, grabbing a consolation goal in injury time for their trouble.
A brand new keeper, fresh from UCC and a Collingwood Cup medal, could not be blamed for the apparent ease with which the Bray attack punished their hosts, for the damage in each of the goals had been done outfield. If anything, Peter Cuthbert showed a maturity under siege that augurs well for his future.
Both sides threatened early, with a Bray free inside the first minute having to be cleared away by Kieran O'Reilly and Jody Lynch's third minute shot, despite a deflection, going out off the post for a corner.
Eddie Gormley followed up his 7th minute corner with a free, Graham O'Hanlon heading wide but with the offside flag up against him.
Two minutes later, Gormley was back in defence clearing a threatening-looking Cobh attack, but it wasn't long before the hosts were going forward again, Dave Warren going close with a long-range effort.
Just after the quarter hour, Anthony Wolfe was cautioned for a heavy challenge on Gormley, and the Bray attack forced a corner from the free. Robbie McGuinness's dead-ball was well-judged for Graham O'Hanlon, who leaped to volley it home.
There was no apparent effect on the Cork players, who were as vigorous as ever. O'Reilly had a shot deflected into the side netting, but Chris O'Connor was well able for the corner.
Half-way through the first period, Kieran 'Tarzan' O'Brien hit the side netting with an overhead kick from a cross by McGuinness out at the sideline, while two minutes later Robert Brosnan headed over after O'Reilly had done the hard work with a good run up the right.
In the remainder of the half, Cobh had the better of the play but without any reward for their pains, referee Neil Doyle waving play on despite calls for a penalty after O'Reilly went down in the box just after the half-hour.
O'Connor had to look lively to clear on the hoof after a rare Maurice Farrell error let Ramblers in, and both he and Jody Lynch were forced to concede corners under pressure, but Ramblers were unable to make the setpieces count.
It was a rare foray down the wing out of their own half that gave Bray a bonus goal just before the break, Ciaran Ryan breaking the siege of O'Connor's goal to race downfield from deep in his own half, squaring for Kieran O'Brien at the last possible minute, and the veteran Bray striker was not going to turn down a gift opportunity like that.
Ramblers had an outside chance to pull one back before the whistle, winning a 25m free in a good position, but it was well-cleared by Farrell.
At the outset, the second half looked like turning acrimonious, Colm James carded for a challenge on Dave Warren in the first minute and Gormley earning another within ten, against John Andrews who in turn was cautioned for a challenge on O'Connor shortly after.
Meanwhile, Wolfe had fed a threatening through ball up the line, but just too far for his colleague to find before the Bray defence arrived to see it out, and a Bray free from about 35m had been crossed inside by McGuinness for Ciaran Ryan to head off the crossbar.
On the hour mark, Gifford's nicely placed cross after James fed wide, lacking a way through the Cobh defence, was neatly taken by Cuthbert.
O'Brien hassled the home defence well in this period, first forcing a throw in the corner and then winning a corner kick off the defence, but the Cobh keeper was alert to the danger.
James shot wide after Gormley curled a good free into the area, but it was Kevin Grogan who netted next, presented with a 3 metre tap-in from a Gifford cross, with the keeper too close to react.
Within minutes the former Old Trafford youngster tried to double his competitive tally for Bray with a longer range shot after racing to beat Wolfe to the ball, but Cuthbert covered it well.
Ryan, James and Cobh substitute Eoin Conlon all went close as the game entered its final quarter hour, but there was less than five minutes left when James made his way in close to the Ramblers goal, and tapped home under Cuthbert. Despite the attention of the home defence, the Assistant Referee was in no doubt that it had crossed the line before being cleared.
Wesley Charles, on as a substitute after his exertions of the previous weekend in Kingstown, was filling a midfield berth and seemed determined to prove he could play there, too, but on the receiving end of a one-two with Grogan found himself too near the end line to keep play in.
As the fourth official lowered the board announcing two minutes additional time, home skipper Steve Yelverton flashed a sharp cross in to substitute James Cummins, loose just outside the penalty area, and his shot was low to the Bray net.
It may have been less than Cobh deserved from the encounter, and the scoreline may flatter the Seagulls, but it surely made a better-looking spectacle than their previous fixture.
Count the season re-started with immediate effect.
Mícheál Ó hUanacháin
Bray Wanderers:
13 Chris O'Connor; 2 Stephen Gifford, 5 Graham O'Hanlon, 4 Jody Lynch (c), 3 Maurice Farrell; 7 Robbie McGuinness, 8 Colm James, 6 Eddie Gormley, 11 Ciaran Ryan; 9 Kieran O'Brien, 10 Kevin Grogan
Subs: 12 Colm Tresson (for Ryan 85), 14 Paul O'Reilly, 15 Billy Manley, 16 Gerry Quinn (for O'Brien 81), 17 Wesley Charles (for Gormley 78)
Cobh Ramblers:
1 Peter Cuthbert; 2 Anthony Wolfe, 4 John Andrews, 5 Gareth O'Donovan, 3 Terry White; 6 Dave Moore, 8 Dave Warren, 7 Tony Tynan, 10 Steve Yelverton; 11, Robert Brosnan, 9 Kieran O'Reilly
Subs: 12 James Cummins (for Warren 77), 13 Craig Parrington, 14 Chris O'Shea (for Brosnan 76), 15 Eoin Conlon (for Moore 53), 16 Eoin Lougheed
Referee: Neil Doyle
http://www.braywanderers.ie/reports.php?game=218
Originally Posted by Queenstown Ram
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