St Pat’s hot start too much for Bray

St Patrick’s Athletic 3 Bray Wanderers 0

Two goals inside the opening five minutes helped St Patrick’s Athletic to a facile 3-0 victory over Bray Wanderers at Richmond Park.

The hosts were rewarded for an enterprising opening in the fourth minute as Killian Brennan converted from the penalty spot after Alan McNally was adjudged to have tripped Greg Bolger.

Matters deteriorated for the visitors a minute later with Ian Bermingham's surging run allowing Christ Forrester to fire a measured finish home from 18 yards.

In a frantic opening, Wanderers should have trimmed their arrears in the seventh minute but Chris Lyons lacked conviction as he rolled the ball wide from eight yards following an unforced error by Brendan Clarke.

Ryan McEvoy also went close for Bray three minutes later but the visitors remained largely on the back foot for the remainder of the half with James Chambers going close on two occasions while Conan Byrne and Forrester also threatened for a rampant home side.

The initial promptings of the second-half lacked the urgency of the first period but the contest was effectively settled on the hour mark as Brennan's delightful pass allowed Chambers to feed Christy Fagan for a straightforward finish from six yards.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Clarke; McCormack, Hoare, Clarke, Bermingham; Byrne (Guedje, 86 mins), Chambers, Bolger, Brennan, Forrester (Greene, 83 mins); Fagan (Kilduff, 74 mins).

BRAY WANDERERS: McGuinness; Barker, McNally, O'Reilly, Memery; Scully (Douglas, 68 mins), Gallagher, McEvoy, Kelly, McGlynn (Onwubiko, 88 mins); Lyons (McDonagh, 76 mins).

Referee: D Tomney (Dublin)