League Preview: Bray Wanderers -v- Limerick

• Conor Clancy
• Fri, Sep 18 2015




Bray Wanderers will welcome Limerick to the Carlisle Grounds on Saturday afternoon as the two sides meet in the SSE Airtricity League. Rather unusually, both sides come into the fixture as two of the division’s most in form teams.

 

BRAY WANDERERS

Mick Cooke’s side will be returning to league action following their progression to the FAI Ford Cup semi-finals, as they saw off the threat of underdogs Killester United with a 2-0 win that was perhaps less comfortable than they would have liked.

 

The Wicklow side come into the game eight points ahead of their opponents, and currently find themselves in the rather unfamiliar mid-table position of sixth place.

 

The team’s performances this season are the complete antithesis of the speculation surrounding the administrative side of the club. Despite currently being under the guidance of their fifth manager of the season, the Seagulls are soaring at heights unseen in recent seasons.

 

 

LIMERICK FC

Martin Russell’s men will make the trip to the seaside full of confidence themselves despite remaining at the foot of the table, as they are enjoying an impressive run of form that has seen them undefeated since July.

 

Blues’ striker Vinny Faherty was this week names the SSE Airtricity/Soccer Writers’ Association of Ireland Player of the Month for August (see here), having bagged five goals in a month that saw the Markets Field side win four of their five games, while drawing the other.

 

Since their defeat to Shamrock Rovers at the end of July, Limerick have scored a whopping 20 goals in their six outings, and have scored at least three times on each occasion.

 

Referee: Ray Mattews

 

 

MATCH STATS

The two sides have met three times already this season, with the Seagulls coming out on top in each occasion. Winning the previous league meeting at the Carlisle Grounds 4-0, before claiming victory at the Seaside again in the cup as they ran out 3-1 winners, as well as earning a narrow 1-0 away in when the sides last met.

 

Despite their startling recent run, Limerick may find it difficult to find the net, as they come up against one of the most solid defensive units in the league of late, with the Wanderers remarkably conceding just three times in their last 13 outings.

 

The Munster side will fancy their chances of being able to breach Bray’s backline however, as they are unbeaten in six games since last tasting defeat on July 24 and scoring an incredible 20 goals in that timeframe.

 

 

BETTING

Bray Wanderers 5/4; Draw 9/4; Limerick 2/1.

 

PREDICTION

Expect both sides to cancel one another out. 1-1.

 

 

Bray Wanderers

Injured: Stephen McGuiness.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: Hugh Douglas, David Scully.

 

Limerick

Injured: None.

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: Shaun Kelly, Paul O’Conor.