Soccer

David Scully makes decisive intervention for Bray

Wicklow side record third league win of the season as Dundalk fail to fire on all cylinders

Dundalk’s Ruaidhri Higgins and David Scully of Bray Wanderers do aerial combat during the Premier Division match at the Carlisle Grounds last night. photograph: Donall Farmer/Inpho.
Dundalk’s Ruaidhri Higgins and David Scully of Bray Wanderers do aerial combat during the Premier Division match at the Carlisle Grounds last night. photograph: Donall Farmer/Inpho.
Fri Apr 25 2014 - 22:23

Bray Wanderers 1 Dundalk 0

Bray Wanderers recorded only their third Premier Division win of the season in 10 games when a decisive second-half header by David Scully gave them a fully deserved victory over high-flying Dundalk at the Carlisle Grounds.

Dundalk had an early chance when striker David McMillan shot on the turn only to see his effort blocked for a corner by alert Bray goalkeeper Stephen McGuinness.

McMillan went close again on 10 minutes when after an opening by Seán Gannon , his effort was deflected for another corner by central defender David Webster.

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The Seagulls went close to breaking the deadlock on 23 minutes when a perfect ball down the left from David Cassidy found Shane O'Neill in the clear but his curling shot was excellently pushed over by Dundalk goalkeeper Peter Cherrie.

Pushed wide
Successive corners by Kurtis Byrne caused problems for the home defence when first Brian Gartland shot straight at McGuinness and then the goalkeeper did well to push a Dane Massey effort away for a corner.

Straight up the other end, Cherrie again came to Dundalk’s rescue when he pushed wide an Ismahil Akinade effort after Scully had carved open up the visitors’ defence.

Bray nearly had their noses in front on 39 minutes after neat play between Graham Kelly an O'Neill let in Dean Zambra for a chance only to see his shot smothered by Cherrie.

Late in the first half, Dundalk threatened when a Ruadhri Higgins free on the left was sent back across goal by Gartland only for McMillan to see his shot cleared off the line by Webster.

Off the line
Stephen Kenny's men had a let-off on 55 minutes when a Kelly corner on the right was headed back across goal by Scully only for Akinade's downward nod to be taken off the line by Richie Towell.

It was no real surprise when Bray took the lead on 65 minutes after another corner on the right by Kelly enabled midfielder Scully to head home powerfully at the far post past despite a deflection.

BRAY WANDERERS: McGuinness; Cooney, Webster, Mitchell, Maloney; Scully, Zambra, Kelly, O'Neill (Hanlon 85); Cassidy, Akinade (C.Byrne 92).

DUNDALK: Cherrie; Gannon, Gartland, Boyle, Massey; K.Byrne (Mountney 78), Shields, Higgins (Hoban 70), Horgan (Meenan 58); Towell, McMillan.

Referee: David McKeon (Dublin).