League Report: Galway United 1-2 Bray Wanderers

Poor defending cost Galway United when they faced Bray Wanderers on Friday night with Harry Kenny’s side dismissing The Tribesmen by two goals to one.

The Seagulls had a great chance early in the first half when former Tribesman Aaron Greene blazed through the centre of the field breaking a tackle in the process. The midfielder played in Ryan Brennan running into space on the right side of the box.

Galway’s defence scrambled to stop the unmarked Brennan and they were saved by the hands of Conor Winn who got down well to block the shot from the winger.

It was another former Galway player who managed to put the ball in the back of the net before the twenty minute mark.

Anthony Flood rose above several Galway players in the box to head the ball past Winn. Gary McCabe hit a deep cross into the box after Galway’s Ronan Murray failed to clear the ball up the field.

Debutant for United, Eoin McCormack, looked determined to get his side back into the game when some indecision between Keith Buckley and Bray goalkeeper Peter Cherrie allowed the striker a chance but his flicked shot rolled just wide of the goal.

Bray Wanderers doubled their lead in less than ten minutes later when a Keith Buckley cross found Mark Salmon outside the box and the midfielder made no mistake rifling his shot past Conor Winn.

Galway had a lot of work to do and a well worked set piece routine almost got them back into this game in the first half. Ronan Murray played a free-kick sideways to Gavan Holohan and the midfielder played a deep ball finding the head of Cunningham but his header was a harmless effort into Cherrie’s hands.

Harry Kenny’s side looked to start the second half in a similar vein when Aaron Greene swung a long ball across the field, finding Ryan Brennan again, but the resulting shot was poor and the midfielder sent the ball wide of the Galway goal.

The Tribesmen struggled to come up with ideas in the second half and Ronan Murray decided to try his luck from a good distance outside the box but his effort did nothing to worry Peter Cherrie who easily gathered the ball in his goal.

Second half substitution Vinny Faherty instantly caused trouble in the Bray box giving Holohan a great chance but his effort was deflected out for a corner.

The resulting corner was swung in by Ronan Murray, Stephen Folan was lying in wait at the back post and the defender hit a powerful header past Cherrie to drag United back into the game with a little over ten minutes left for The Tribesmen.

Galway just couldn’t find another goal however, and Shane Keegan’s men have now suffered three losses in four games.

Galway United: Conor Winn; Colm Horgan, Lee Grace, Stephen Folan,; Gary Shanahan (Conor Melody, 76), David Cawley, Gavan Holohan, Ronan Murray, David Cawley, Gary Kinneen; Padraic Cunningham (Vinny Faherty, 75), Eoin McCormack (Kevin Devaney, 70).

Subs not used: James Tierney, Paul Sinnott, Alex Byrne, Aaron Conway.

Bray Wanderers: Peter Cherrie; Keith Buckley,  Hugh Douglas, Conor Kenna, Kevin Lynch; John Sullivan, Ryan Brennan, Mark Salmon, Aaron Greene; Gary McCabe (Jason Marks, 84), Anthony Flood (Dylan Connolly, 68).

Subs not used: Lee Stacey, Derek Foran, Ger Pender, Tim Clancy, Darragh Noone.

Bookings: Hugh Douglas (58), Keith Buckley (70)

Referee: Paul Tuite

Attendance: 1,022

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Gary McCabe