A top of the table clash between Dundalk And Bray delivered everything you could’ve wanted; drama, goals, red cards and most importantly, absolute limbs.
First Half
Dundalk started the game well with a huge amount of sustained pressure, particularly coming down the left hand side of Bray’s defence. This pressure was rewarded after 19 minutes, when Keith Ward’s cross was poorly cleared by The Seagulls, and it fell for a volley for McHale, who couldn’t have struck the ball any sweeter. The league leaders lighting quick start was rewarded.
After the Lilywhites scored, Bray seemed to wake up and fight back, starting to attack and get up the pitch. Bray won a free kick right at the corner of the box, Max Murphy took, and the Bray skipper Kilian Cantwell found himself free of Dundalk defenders and headed it in to equalise the game for Bray!!!!
Second Half
Dundalk started the second half similarly to the first, constant pressure and keeping The Wanderers in their own half for the most part.
The game changed completely when Bray midfielder Cian Doyle was sent off for a second yellow challenge, directly after what was seemingly a handball from a Dundalk player.
After his sending off, Dundalk threw everything they had at Bray, coming very close through Dean Ebbe in the 83rd minute, which saw a heroic goal line clearance from Kilian Cantwell.
It was chance after chance for Dundalk and they looked certain to score the winner, that was until Bray got a freekick in the 88th minute, Max Murphy struck the bar and it fell to Harvey Warren. There was absolute LIMBS in the Bray away end, it seemed like they’d went one point off the top, with ten men after a mammoth defensive performance while also delivering Dundalk’s first defeat of the season.
“5” read the electronic board, Dundalk were throwing everyone forward hoping that they could salvage the game. The Lilywhites won a corner in the 92nd minute. It was whipped into the six yard box and it met the head of the substitute Gbemi Arubi who put it past Jimmy Corcoran!!! Dundalk had salvaged a point late on and kept their invincible hopes alive.
Post Match Thoughts
From a Bray perspective, it’s a feeling of pride of the team, but also bitterness. To take the lead in such fashion with ten men, after an excellent defensive performance, all just to drop points in the end.
MOTM: Kilian Cantwell
This result sees Bray drop to 3rd behind Cobh Ramblers, who will face Dundalk in a top of the table clash next Friday. Bray will return home to the Carlisle to face Athlone Town.