Sport

Wanderers feel right at home

BRAY WANDERERS 2 ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC 1: Financial restraints may have prevented manager Pat Devlin from reshaping his squad…

Sat Mar 19 2005 - 00:00

BRAY WANDERERS 2 ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC 1: Financial restraints may have prevented manager Pat Devlin from reshaping his squad in the close season but Wanderers could defy expectations and avoid the drop.

Bray matched St Patrick's from the outset and were gifted the ideal start to life in the top flight when Eamon Zayed and Colm Tresson fired home in the 60th and 65th minutes, respectively.

Both sides enjoyed plenty of possession in the opening period and looked threatening on the break. The Bray defence coped admirably with the speedy St Patrick's attack with Robbie Doyle and Aiden O'Keefe threatening when afforded space.

Striker Zayed went close with a long-range effort on 19 minutes but debutant goalkeeper Barry Ryan gathered.

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Midfielder Keith Dunne nearly put Johnny McDonnell's side ahead on the stroke of half-time when his dipping shot from the edge of the area had goalkeeper Chris O'Connor scrambling but it took a deflection and went for a corner that Bray cleared.

St Patrick's started the second half smartly but were caught napping for Bray's first goal. Doyle was dispossessed in his own half and Ciarán Ryan was played in on the left flank. He supplied Zayed in the box and the striker trapped the ball before turning and blasting home to Ryan's right.

Bray doubled their lead five minutes later amid a spell of sustained pressure. St Patrick's scrambled away a Ryan corner but the ball fell to Tresson just outside the area and he unleashed an unstoppable shot past Ryan.

Doyle did his best to reduce the deficit late on but his 30-yard free kick rebounded off the post with O'Connor beaten. But he did steer the ball over the line in the 86th minute amid some chaotic Bray defending.

BRAY WANDERERS: O'Connor; O'Reilly, Lynch, Charles, Keogh; Dunne, Long, Tresson, Ryan; Zayed, McGrory. Subs: Kelch for Dunne (88 mins), O'Brien for McGrory (90 mins). Booked: Lynch (25), Zayed (40).

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Ryan; Quigley, Prenderville, Foley, Bell; O'Keefe, Dunne, Caffrey, Foley, Doyle; McPhee. Subs: Perth for McPhee (67 mins), Maher for Foley (82 mins). Booked: Quigley (87).

Referee: D Hancock (Dublin)