League of Ireland Premier Division/Bray Wanderers 0 St Patrick's Athletic 0: Their blistering early-season form having deserted them some weeks back, St Patrick's shed a little more of their lead at the top of the table last night thanks to one man's rashness off the ball and the inability of his team-mates to be a little more clinical when on it.
When these sides met in Inchicore in March Mark Quigley ensured that the game was as good as over after just nine minutes with a hat-trick that left the visitors reeling. Last night, it was Alan Kirby's turn to exert a key early influence with the midfielder getting himself sent off 13 minutes in.
Kirby, to be fair, did have some cause to feel aggrieved moments before being dismissed when a shove in the back from Clive Delaney as he challenged for the ball struck most observers, though critically not referee Dave McKeon, as meriting a spot-kick.
The former Longford Town player sought to take the injustice of the situation out on Chris Deans as he made his way out of the area and, after consulting with his assistant, McKeon swiftly produced his red card.
Against a more ruthless team or, perhaps, in better conditions the handicap of being left a man short with so long still to play would have proven fatal to St Patrick's prospects. Instead it merely turned what should, on paper at least, have represented an opportunity for John McDonnell's men to get back to winning ways into an uncomfortably even-handed scrap with the heavy rain that had fallen before kick-off making it difficult for both sides to put together any sustained spells of decent football.
Each had their moments, though, and Bray finished comfortably the stronger of the two sides. Brimming with confidence after his three-goal haul in the FAI Cup last week, Paul Dunphy proved a handful for the visiting defence and stretched Barry Ryan on more than one occasion.
With a quarter of an hour remaining Stephen Fox also forced a fine save from the Clareman after turning and shooting from just inside the area before James O'Shea fired over from close range when he should have hit the target.
The league leaders had chances of their own, with Steve Williams having to stop well from Keith Fahey, Gary O'Neill narrowly missing the target and Colm Foley seeing his powerful header clatter off the underside of the bar before being cleared off the line by Delaney.
Quigley, though, was subdued with the young striker shooting far too close to Williams on the couple of occasions he found himself in a position to have a crack at goal.
Their numerical disadvantage made it hard to judge McDonnell's team here and so credit is due for the work produced in Kirby's absence but in recent games they have borne little resemblance to the impressive unit that was sweeping aside teams during the first couple of months of the season.
If back to his best, then the impending return of Joseph Ndo would certainly help things for while the Dubliners knocked the ball around well here at times, they have missed his composure and influence.
More than anything, though, there is need to add depth to the squad if the early momentum is to be regained for the manager's reluctance in recent weeks to shake the team up strongly suggests he does not believe he is in a position to do so.
He has been fortunate that Drogheda, with their countless injury problems, have not taken greater advantage of his side's loss of form but last night's results mean that United could be top by Tuesday. On current form, that would be about right.
BRAY WANDERERS: Williams; Tresson, Delaney, Deans, Cronin; O'Shea (Georgescu, 83 mins), Cawley, Duggan, McCabe; Dunphy, Fox.
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Ryan; Murphy, C Foley, Paisley, Frost (M Foley, 82 mins); Fahey, Mulcahy, Brennan, Kirby; M Quigley (Guy, 78 mins), O'Neill (Cornwall, 87 mins).
Referee: D McKeon (Dublin).
