Bray Wanderers -v- Drogheda United
Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
Having hosted Liverpool in their last game before the break, Bray Wanderers return to domestic action with an important league game against an ever improving Drogheda United side at the Carlisle Ground on Friday night (kick-off 7.45).
While arguably Drogheda have a lot more to lose from this fixture, a victory would be greatly welcomed by Bray who have lost four of their last five games and will be keen to halt this poor run of form. Pat Devlin’s men have showed hug promise this season. Two victories over reigning champions Shamrock Rovers prove they are more than capable of mixing it with the best in the league.
However finding consistency has been the Wicklow club’s greatest problem to date. Bray have only notched back-to-back league wins on three occasions all season.
On 34 points, they appear safe from relegation. But if the club wants to view this season as a successful one, surely survival and a decent performance against Liverpool reserves will not be enough. Bray are without a string of first team players who miss out through suspension, though the Seagulls do welcome back Conor Murphy from international duty with the u19s.
Despite still lying in lowly ninth position in the league table, Drogheda can be very happy with their recent form and since boss Mick Cooke has brought in some key personnel during the transfer window, the Drogs have proved stubborn opposition for any side.
Peter McMahon and Lee Lynch have formed a dynamic midfield partnership, while Gavin Brennan and Tiernan Mulvenna have chipped in some much needed goals to ease the pressure on Dinny Corcoran up front.
The Louth side is still very much a work in progress as Cooke knows. However he is building a squad on the principles of hard work and dedication, as he explained during the week.
He said: “The break has been great for the players, we have been training hard and we did add a lot of new players so they have had a chance to gel and we are a more solid team now. The lads really needed a break. They had been working very hard in the last few weeks, our recent performances proved that, if the results didn’t.”
The visitors are without long term casualty Jack Flynn and Colin O’ Brien but given Bray’s long list of absentees and Drogheda’s recent improvements, a draw is very much on the cards here.
Bray Wanderers
Injured: Darren Quigley
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Shane O’ Neill, Derek Prendergast, Chris Shields and David Webste
Drogheda United
Injured: Jack Flynn and Colin O’ Brien
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Brian Gannon
Referee: Rob Rogers
PaddyPower match odds: Bray 4/6 Draw 5/2 Drogheda 7/2
ExtraTime.ie prediction: 1-1 in a tight game which has the potential to be a cracker
While arguably Drogheda have a lot more to lose from this fixture, a victory would be greatly welcomed by Bray who have lost four of their last five games and will be keen to halt this poor run of form. Pat Devlin’s men have showed hug promise this season. Two victories over reigning champions Shamrock Rovers prove they are more than capable of mixing it with the best in the league.
However finding consistency has been the Wicklow club’s greatest problem to date. Bray have only notched back-to-back league wins on three occasions all season.
On 34 points, they appear safe from relegation. But if the club wants to view this season as a successful one, surely survival and a decent performance against Liverpool reserves will not be enough. Bray are without a string of first team players who miss out through suspension, though the Seagulls do welcome back Conor Murphy from international duty with the u19s.
Despite still lying in lowly ninth position in the league table, Drogheda can be very happy with their recent form and since boss Mick Cooke has brought in some key personnel during the transfer window, the Drogs have proved stubborn opposition for any side.
Peter McMahon and Lee Lynch have formed a dynamic midfield partnership, while Gavin Brennan and Tiernan Mulvenna have chipped in some much needed goals to ease the pressure on Dinny Corcoran up front.
The Louth side is still very much a work in progress as Cooke knows. However he is building a squad on the principles of hard work and dedication, as he explained during the week.
He said: “The break has been great for the players, we have been training hard and we did add a lot of new players so they have had a chance to gel and we are a more solid team now. The lads really needed a break. They had been working very hard in the last few weeks, our recent performances proved that, if the results didn’t.”
The visitors are without long term casualty Jack Flynn and Colin O’ Brien but given Bray’s long list of absentees and Drogheda’s recent improvements, a draw is very much on the cards here.
Bray Wanderers
Injured: Darren Quigley
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Shane O’ Neill, Derek Prendergast, Chris Shields and David Webste
Drogheda United
Injured: Jack Flynn and Colin O’ Brien
Doubtful: None
Suspended: Brian Gannon
Referee: Rob Rogers
PaddyPower match odds: Bray 4/6 Draw 5/2 Drogheda 7/2
ExtraTime.ie prediction: 1-1 in a tight game which has the potential to be a cracker
About Sam Griffin
Sam joined Extratime for the 2011 season and is now the site's features editor. He is based in Dublin and covers all the clubs in the capital. He is also prone to the odd Drogheda … View Full Profile