League Report: Bray Wanderers 1 - 1 Limerick
From Dave Donnelly in the Carlisle Grounds
An outstanding solo goal from Chiedozie Ogbene rescued a point for Limerick at under pressure Bray Wanderers on Friday night with the teams playing out a 1-1 draw at the seaside as the Blues continue to limp towards safety.
With Bohemians and Galway United scoring victories over Drogheda United and Derry City respectively, Neil McDonald's side needed to pick up something from their trip to Wicklow.
And the signs didn't look good at half time as the Seagulls led thanks to a well-taken goal against the run of play by Darragh Noone, but Ogbene's moment of magic turned the tide after the break.
Goalkeeper Brendan Clarke, as he did in the win over Bohemians last month, saved a penalty as the Blues rode their luck on the way to a deserved away point.
The visitors could have led within the opening 30 seconds when an errant Karl Moore throw fell to Limerick striker Rodrigo Tosi.
The Brazilian strode forward towards goal before sending a powerful shot arrowing towards the top corner but Peter Cherrie pulled off an outstanding diving save to deny him.
If this was to be taken as the precursor to an open and action-packed first half, it was to prove a cruel deception.
Limerick had the better off the play for the first half-hour without ever creating much to trouble the Bray's Scottish goalkeeper.
They passed the ball better throughout as the Seagulls' early poise in possession soon gave way to errors and a more direct style to bypass Limerick's dynamic midfield trio.
Shane Tracy – who will play his testimonial to mark ten years with the Blues tomorrow – hit a free kick straight at Cherrie after Conor Kenna had been booked for a cynical foul on Ogbene.
Ten minutes before the break, Limerick captain Shane Duggan came out on top of a 50/50 with Darragh Noone and a smart shot on the turn from Tosi forced another fine save.
The game was to turn just three minutes later however, as the first moment of real quality from a man in green and black yielded the opening goal.
Right back Keith Buckley, who had struggled with the pace and skill of Ogbene, found himself at the right end of the pitch and dug out a perfectly-weighted cross.
Drifting between the two centre-halves, the unsighted David O'Connor and Tony Whitehead, Noone timed his run immaculately to guide a header into the bottom corner past blameless Brendan Clarke.
Having failed to live up to its early promise, the game suddenly sprang to life, with right-back Barry Cotter close to levelling when he headed Lee-J Lynch's corner just past the post.
Jason Marks was close to connecting with Ryan Brennan's cross at the other end, while Gary McCabe saw his shot deflected wide as the half drew to a close.
Bray began the second half on the front foot, Aaron Greene pulling a shot just wide before a mistake from Cotter presented a chance to Jason Marks, but Clarke saved well with his legs.
Limerick broke after clearing the resulting corner and, within seconds, Ogbene had the ball in the back of the net with a goal of outstanding individual brilliance.
First, the Nigerian outpaced Moore wide on the right and checked back, taking Tim Clancy out of the game, before drifting past Kenna and finishing coolly under Cherrie's despairing dive.
Tosi came inches from putting Limerick in front for the first time from a Shane Tracy free kick wide on the left, but his header crept past the post with Cherrie beaten.
Duggan came close with an individual effort of his own, cutting out a pass in midfield and outmuscling John Sullivan before being driven wide and clipping a shot straight at Cherrie.
A wonderful crossfield ball from Greene played in Marks down the left and Clarke gambled massively by rushing out, but it proved a good decision as he did enough to block the shot.
It wasn't to be his crowning moment, however. That would arrive barely two minutes later when the former St Patrick's Athletic stopper brilliantly denied McCabe from the penalty spot.
Cotter was harshly adjudged to have tripped McCabe inside the box and, though the midfielder placed his shot low into the corner, Clarke saved his second penalty in three league games.
The visitors piled on the pressure in the final stages, Tracy seeing a dipping free kick sail inches wide and Duggan sending another long-distance strike over.
Substitute Dean Clarke drove a shot marginally wide and Tosi saw another left-footed effort fly over the top as the clock ran down and the points were deservedly shared.
Bray Wanderers: Peter Cherrie; Keith Buckley, Tim Clancy, Conor Kenna, Karl Moore (Jake Ellis 83); John Sullivan, Darragh Noone (Hugh Douglas 77), Gary McCabe, Jason Marks (Kevin Lynch 74), Ryan Brennan; Aaron Greene.
Subs not used: Lee Steacy (gk), Kevin Lynch, Hugh Douglas, Calvin Rogers, Luke Rossiter, Jake Ellis, Ger Pender.
Booked: Conor Kenna (26), Keith Buckley (82), Gary McCabe (86).
Limerick: Brendan Clarke; Barry Cotter, David O'Connor, Tony Whitehead, Shane Tracy; Shane Duggan, Bastien Hery, Lee-J Lynch (John O'Flynn 62), Stephen Kenny (Dean Clarke 74), Chiedozie Ogbene; Rodrigo Tosi.
Subs not used: Freddy Hall (gk), Joe Crowe, Killian Brouder, Henry Cameron, Dean Clarke, Peter Berki.
Booked: None.
Referee: Paul McLaughlin.
Attendance: 481.
Extratime.ie Player of the Match: Chiedozie Ogbene
