Bray Wanderers 2 UCD 1:CONOR MURPHY scored twice as Bray Wanderers got back to winning ways to edge back up to fifth in the table.
Murphy, named in Paul Doolin’s Under-19 Republic of Ireland squad for the Uefa Elite Phase qualifiers in Poland next week, put Bray in front early on and then struck for the winner right on 90 minutes. Played in by substitute Daire Doyle, Murphy confidently swept the ball past Ger Barron after the UCD goalkeeper had made a string of fine stops.
Happy to announce it was 21 years to the day that they first won the FAI Cup, Bray celebrated by taking the lead with the first meaningful attack of the game on eight minutes.
Dane Massey was the instigator, working a one-two down the left with Jake Kelly. UCD teenage left-back Seán Russell, manager Martin’s son, failed to cut out the low cross at the back post and Murphy scooped the loose ball home.
Russell made amends on 20 minutes when his cross forced Bray captain Gary Dempsey into a clumsy foul on Dean Marshall inside the area. Referee Paul Tuite gave the penalty which Marshall shot to the corner of Matt Gregg’s net despite the goalkeeper getting his fingertips to the ball.
UCD had a grip on the game now and six minutes before the interval the lively Graham Rusk cut across from the left to rifle a low shot that wasn’t far wide.
Gregg then saved well with his feet to deprive Samir Belhout in first-half stoppage time following Darren Meenan’s pull-back from the end line.
There was far more purpose to Bray and Barron was by far the busier goalkeeper.
After fine stops from Kelly on two separate occasions, he was finally beaten by teenage striker Murphy in the final minute.
BRAY WANDERERS: Gregg; S O’Connor, Mitchell, Prendergast, Massey (Kendrick, 66 mins.); Zambra, Dempsey, D O’Connor (Doyle, 45 f/h), J. Kelly; Murphy, S O’Neill (McGuinness, 74 mins).
UCD: Barron; O’Conor, Colton, O’Connor, Russell (Kavanagh, 82 mins); Meenan, Ledwith, Corry, Marshall, Rusk (Nangle, 51 mins); Belhout (Doyle, 64 mins).
Referee: Paul Tuite (Dublin).
