Bray return back to the Carlisle after two games in Munster to face UCD, who will make the twenty minute trip down the N11.
Bray Wanderers will hope to recover tonight, off the back of two disappointing losses in their last two since the break, against Treaty and Kerry. This is a huge game for The Seagulls as it presents the chance to get back on track with three points, but if they fail to do so, the gap between themselves and fourth placed Treaty United could drop to just three points, providing the Limerick outfit get a win over Wexford.
For UCD, they will be hoping to keep their grasp on 5th place, with Wexford and Kerry being one and two points behind respectively. The Students have been in fine form away from home this season, with 13 of their 23 points coming on the road. This will be a good omen going into the game tonight, against the team with the best home record in the league.
The teams have faced off twice this season, once at the Carlisle Grounds and once at the UCD Bowl, with Bray emerging as winners on both occasions, 2-0 at the Carlisle and 1-0 at the bowl.
Bray Wanderers have confirmed that Harvey Warren, Rhys Bartley and Benjamin Fagbemi are injury doubts for tonight, but Alain Kizenga returns after sitting his Leaving Cert for the past two weeks.
Bray manager Paul Heffernan, speaking about the game “We’ve no time to sulk; no time to feel sorry for ourselves. We’ve got to get back to training on Sunday because we have a really tough game against UCD”
“We’ll dust ourselves down and make sure we ready to go again on Monday back at the Carlisle.”
My lineup prediction for Bray is as follows: (4-2-3-1) Jimmy Corcoran, Max Murphy, Paul Murphy, Kilian Cantwell, Jamie Duggan, Guillermo Almirall, Cian Doyle, Rhys Knight, Conor Knight, Billy O’Neill, Danú Kinsella-Bishop.
I predict that The Seagulls will come away 3-1 winners and bounce back from their recent woes.
I spoke with @BWNF08 (X, IG), who shared his score prediction and preferred lineup for Bray’s match against UCD tonight: “For Bray’s match against UCD tonight, I would line us up in a 4-4-2 formation. We’ve been struggling with finishing in recent games, and a more traditional two-man front line could create better opportunities from crosses and set pieces.
I would make a bold call by benching Jamie Duggan and starting Harvey Warren in his place, assuming he’s available. I’d also bring Benjamin Fagbemi back into the centre-back position, again depending on his availability.
Kilian Cantwell and Max Murphy should start in their usual roles. In midfield, I’d go with Cian Doyle, Billy O’Neill, Rhys Knight, and Conor Knight. Up front, the strike partnership would be Cian Curtis and Danu Kinsella-Bishop. Hopefully, playing together will allow them to link up more effectively and finish the chances we’ve been missing lately.
My prediction is a 2-0 win for Bray to put an end to our recent losing streak.”
Many thanks to him for taking the time to share!
The game will be streamed live on LOI TV from 19:45 tonight, Monday 23rd June.