Soccer

Ciaran Kilduff debut strike earns Dundalk win over Bray

Substitute’s second half strike the difference in tight affair at the Carlisle Grounds

Ciaran Kilduff of Dundalk celebrates scoring the first goal of the game against Bray. Photograph: Donall Farmer/Inpho
Fri Jul 31 2015 - 22:42

Bray Wanderers 0 Dundalk 1

A goal from debutant Ciaran Kilduff proved crucial as Dundalk narrowly overcame Bray Wanderers by 1-0 in their SSE Airtricity League Premier Division encounter at the Carlisle Grounds on Friday night.

The visitors opened up brightly with Daryl Horgan firing narrowly wide in the 12th minute after Ryan McEvoy had headed clear Richie Towell’s threatening cross from the right.

With their focus very much on recording their fifth successive clean sheet in the league, there was little offered by Bray from an attacking perspective with Graham Kelly firing wastefully over in the 23rd minute from Michael Barker’s pass.

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At the opposite end, Dundalk lacked their usual fluency and they created few chances of note with Ronan Finn forcing a fine save in the 36th minute when released by Stephen O’Donnell.

Finn went even closer in injury-time as his run from deep culminated in a cracking cross-shot that cannoned off Cherrie’s crossbar with Horgan equally unfortunate from the rebound as his chipped attempt also struck the woodwork before falling to safety.

The deadlock was almost broken within six minutes of the restart but Richie Towell fired across goal from an acute angle following a superb slide-rule pass from the increasingly influential Finn.

With Dundalk assuming complete control, the chances arrived with progressive regularity with Cherrie excelling to repel McMillan’s powerful header in the 55th minute before Horgan fired horribly wide two minutes later after Towell had shanked Finn’s inviting centre.

However, their desire to throw bodies forward left them susceptible at the back and both David Cassidy and Chris Lyons fired over from promising positions as the hosts sensed a fifth successive league win.

Their ambitions took a decisive blow in the 74th minute as Kilduff rose superbly to flick Horgan’s arced cross past the despairing dive of Rogers.

Bray Wanderers: Cherrie; Douglas, McNally, Cooney, Barker; McGlynn (McDonagh, 76), Sullivan, McEvoy, Kelly, Cassidy; Lyons (Scully, 68).

Dundalk: Rogers; Gannon, Gartland, Boyle, Massey; Meenan (Mountney, 88), Finn (Shields, 80), O'Donnell, Towell, Horgan; McMillan (Kilduff, 65).

Referee: Graham Kelly (Cork)