2018 Season Preview - Bray Wanderers
Credit: Larry McQuillan (ETPhotos)
Manager: Dave Mackey
Stadium: Carlisle Grounds
Players In: Sean Heaney (Shamrock Rovers), Paul O’Conor (St Patrick’s Athletic), Cory Galvin (Cabinteely), Jake Kelly (Longford Town), Rhys Gorman (Longford Town), Darragh Gibbons (Shamrock Rovers), Daniel McKenna (Wolverhampton Wanderers), Ronan Coughlan (Huddersfield Town), Evan Moran (Shamrock Rovers), Daniel Kelly (St Patrick’s CY), Aaron Dillon (Blackburn Rovers)
Players Out: Ryan Brennan (St Patrick’s Athletic), Anto Flood (Sheriff YC), Tim Clancy (Retired), Karl Moore (Bohemians), Jason marks (St Mochta’s), Keith Buckley (Bohemians), Peter Cherrie (Cork City), Lee Steacy (Shelbourne), Luke Rossiter (Drogheda United)
Extratime.ie Key Man: Gary McCabe
After a turbulent 2017 at the Carlisle Grounds, it was widely expected that former Shamrock Rovers man Gary McCabe was set for the exit door in Co. Wicklow, so it was a massive boost for Seagulls fans to hear that the one-time Premier Division winner had committed to for 2018.
Still only 28 years of age, McCabe is regarded as one of the best wide midfield players in the league despite taking a step back from full-time football to part-time football. The move which seemed to have sparked a bit of a renaissance for the Dubliner last season as he managed to help Harry Kenny’s cause at the Carlisle Grounds last term with 15 goals in 30 appearances
Similarly to last season, McCabe is likely to play an instrumental role in helping the Seagulls realise their Premier Division ambitions for 2018 as many pundits and supporters of the league are tipping the Seagulls to struggle to stave off the drop this term, despite the astute business carried out by Dave Mackey during the off-season transfer window.
Extratime.ie One to Watch: Paul O’Conor
Paul O’Conor is no stranger to the League of Ireland and is most certainly not an unknown quantity when it comes to playing in the Premier Division having represented the likes of UCD, Limerick and his last club St Patrick’s Athletic in the top-tier of Irish football before.
O’Conor will bring maturity and technical ability to the Carlisle Grounds after what must be described as a tumultuous last campaign for the Dubliner, having been shown the door by former Limerick boss Neil MacDonald and then being drafted into a relegation dogfight in Inchicore with Liam Buckley’s St Patrick’s Athletic.
How They Did Last Season:
League: 6th
Bray Wanderers will probably be thinking what might have been when looking back on last season after having such a wonderful start to the season last time out.
Coming out on top over Shamrock Rovers at home for the first time in six seasons was a major high, especially with it coming in front of a season high crowd of 2,225 fans at the Carlisle Grounds, which rounded off a fantastic start to the season for Harry Kenny’s men.
However, things all came crashing back down to earth very quickly after the club released a series of possibly the most bizarre and wacky press releases in recent memory which took aim at Wicklow County Council and even questioned their own long-term position in the League of Ireland.
Despite the apparent unrest behind the scenes at the Carlisle Grounds, the Seagulls did manage to rise in the face of the club’s most difficult hour and finish in a very respectable 6th place. Previous manager Harry Kenny will surely take most of the credit for rallying his troops in the most challenging of circumstances at the club but will probably look back and think, what might have been.
FAI Cup: First Round
Bray succumbed to a one-nil home defeat in their first outing of the FAI Cup as the Seagulls were edged out a by a Kieran Sadlier inspired Cork City performance. This was the Rebel Army’s first test on their way to retaining the FAI Cup which brought home a League and Cup double down to Leeside.
EA Sports Cup: Second Round
Bray Wanderers bowed out of the EA Sports Cup after suffering a heart-breaking defeat on penalties to St Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park in the 2nd round of the competition.
Prior to that defeat, Wanderers edged their way past Drogheda United at United Park thanks to a winner from former Drogs man Ryan Brennan via the penalty spot.
Leinster Senior Cup: Fourth Round
Bray also exited the Leinster Senior Cup in their first outing last season after suffering a heavy defeat at home to St Patrick’s Athletic at the Carlisle Grounds. Harry Kenny’s men were blown away by Liam Buckley’s charges in the first half, falling three goals behind before conceding a 4th in the second half.
The Seagulls suffered the same fate in 2018 as old foes St Pat’s came to the Carlisle Grounds and stunned Dave Mackey’s charges with a lightning ten-minute opening spell in Co. Wicklow. The game eventually finished 3-1 to the Supersaints
What to expect this season:
Dave Mackey and his Bray Wanderers side will most certainly be looking to back up last season’s sixth place league finish with another mid-table finish in the SSE Airtricity League Premier Division.
However, achieving this feat will not be an easy task at all. Having lost the likes of Keith Buckley and Ryan Brennan during the off-season, Bray could struggle to combat the loss of that dynamic duo.
Wanderers could also be coming into this season as a bit of an unknown quantity following the departure of former manager Harry Kenny at the end of last season. Dave Mackey will attempt to carry on the good work performed by the former Shamrock Rovers hero despite his obvious inexperience when it comes to senior management.
The 57-year-old, he has carried out some shrewd transfer dealings during the off-season, signing the likes of Paul O’Conor while also managing to capture the re-signings of the key duo of Gary McCabe and Aaron Greene.
In addition to this, it seems that Mackey has a nice blend of youth and experience to choose from as the likes of Jake Ellis, Shane Flynn and Alex Nevin will all look to play a big part alongside many experienced campaigners such as Rhys Gorman, Jake Kelly and John O’Sullivan at the club.
However, the new Bray boss will be keen to put some poor pre-season showings behind them and start the season off on a positive note with a trip up to Oriel Park to last years runners up Dundalk after disappointing results at home to First Division sides Wexford FC and UCD.
If you are to believe what all the pundits are saying you can probably only see Bray fighting for their lives down at the bottom of the Premier Division table, but, Bray have managed to keep some of their key players from last season’s rollercoaster campaign and have added to that spine accordingly so it may not be a surprise to see the Seagulls avoiding a relegation battle after all come the end of the season.
Title Odds: 66/1
First Game: Away vs Dundalk (Friday the 16th of February, Kick-off at 7.45pm)
