In both sides first game back after a short break, The Shannonsiders host The Seagulls in a crucial clash this Friday. This sees 3rd face off against 4th in an extremely important game for both sides.
A win could see The Wanderers move up into 2nd, that’s if Cobh Ramblers fail to beat Longford. Bray are sitting very comfortably, 14 points clear of 6th place Wexford.
Treaty have had a very solid first half of the season, with Lee Devitt at the centre of it all for the Limerick side, scoring 11 goals in the league, 36% of his sides total tally, a win for Treaty could see them 7 points clear of slipping out of the playoffs.
The sides have already faced off once this season, at the Carlisle Grounds on 11th April, in which skipper Kilian Cantwell scored a beauty to open the scoring. The Seagulls done enough to win on the night, and came out 2-1 winners with Richard Ferizaj scoring the winner for Bray, and Yousef Mahdy netting the goal for Treaty.
The player to watch for Bray Wanderers tonight, in my opinion, is defender Alain Kizenga. The young left back made his first senior start for the Seagulls against Finn Harps, playing a pivotal part in conserving Bray’s lead, and also played his part going foward.
For Treaty United, it can only be Lee Devitt, the Clare man has been tearing apart defenses all season. He has recorded 11 goals in the league this season, including two hattricks against Athlone and Longford. Devitt currently sits 3rd in the top scorer of the First Division, and Kilian Cantwell and Harvey Warren will have some job on their hands attempting to keep him quiet.
It’s unclear if Billy O’Neill will feature for The Wanderers, as he has been sitting his Leaving Cert this week. Outside of that, The Seagulls have a clear injury list.
Just like O’Neill for Bray, Treaty’s 2024 Young Player of The Season Robbie Lynch may be a doubt, due to the sitting of his leaving cert this week. There are also concerns Lee J Lynch, who was forced off injured against Cobh prior to the break.
This is a very interesting game, which, like most in the First Divison, could go either way. Treaty United’s home advantage could play into their hands as they have picked up 16 of their 24 points at Markets Field this season. On the other hand, Bray Wanderers have the firepower to overcome any defence, and have also been very solid defensively for the most part this season.
Final Prediction: Treaty United 1-2 Bray Wanderers