U19 Cup Report: Dundalk 3 - 0 Bray Wanderers

A hat-trick from Jack O'Keefe earned Dundalk under-19s a 3-0 win over Marc Kenny’s Bray Wanderers in the Enda McGuill Cup at Oriel Park on Thursday evening.

The home side took an early lead as on loan winger Steven Kinsella’s long delivery from the right hand side byline was met at the far post by the prolific O'Keefe and he made no mistake.

The former St Patrick’s Athletic wideman had an opportunity to extend the lead ten minutes later after cutting inside the full back but his left footed shot drifted over the bar.

Bray fought their way into the game and dominated the next 20 minutes without troubling Matt Lyons.

The closest the visitors got to an equaliser was a cross shot from their central midfielder while his partner in the centre of the pitch thundered a shot wide of the goals a few moments later.

Sandwiched between these efforts was a header from in-form striker O’Keefe following great work by Carlton Ubaezuono on the left wing, which was well held by the visiting netminder.

The sides traded effort as a Bray corner was headed over the bar by Jack Whelan, who had to change his jersey due to a blood injury earlier in the contest, while at the opposite end of the pitch Dean Watters saw a free kick sail over.

The second half began with a couple of headed efforts, from Gavin Smith and Bray following a corner, before Jack O’Keefe doubled the lead with a poacher’s finish from a Dean Watters free kick.

David McMillan scored a very similar effort here in the same goal last night and tonight’s number nine almost completed his hat-trick in the next attack but his effort was well smothered by the impressive Nathan Woolahan, who foiled the striker twice more in the following ten minutes.

Woolahan's counterpart in the Dundalk goals, Matt Lyons, saved well from both Howard and Ellis to keep his clean sheet intact.

With a quarter of an hour to go, O’Keefe completed his hat trick as he collected the ball deep in Bray territory before dancing into the penalty area and firing low past the keeper.

Dundalk had opportunities to extend their advantage, most notably through Kinsella, but Woolahan continued to keep the Lilywhites at bay.

In the end it was a comfortable victory for the Lilywhites who progress to the next round of the Enda Mc Guill Cup.

Dundalk: Matt Lyons; James Woods, Gavin Smith, Emmett Hughes, James Rice; Jake O’Connor, Aaron Townley, Dean Watters; Steven Kinsella, Jack O’Keefe; Carlton Ubaezuono.

Bray Wanderers: Nathan Woolahan; Shane Heffernan, Jack Whelan, Calvin Rodgers, Cian Gilson, Stephan Morley, Luke Clucas, Gavin Howard, Jake Ellis, Cormac Kelly, Dion Agbonze.