Flood fires Bohs to top as Bray roar back at Pat’s

CONTINUING where he left off at the Carlisle Grounds last week, Anto Flood ensured Bohemians made it two wins from two in the Premier Division.

Flood rifled home the Gypsies’ third goal at Bray on the opening night and he finally put Drogheda to the sword last night before a healthy home crowd at Dalymount.

The only goal of the game came on 57 minutes, but was no more than Bohs’ utter dominance deserved.

Mark Rossiter whipped over a super ball from the right and Flood scored with a superbly controlled first-time side-foot shot past keeper David Quirke.

Bohemians should have doubled their winning margin on 82 minutes but for a shocking miss by Lee Dixon, who blazed Christy Fagan’s pass over the bar with only Quirke to beat.

Not unexpectedly, Bohemians dominated the first half, with Drogheda grateful to young goalkeeper Quirke for keeping them level.

Fagan showed superb touchbefore Quirke, a reserve at Monaghan last season, got out to save his low drive with his feet.

Dixon then had a goal-bound shot blocked while Aidan Price headed narrowly wide as Bohemians trooped off frustrated to have no tangible reward for their first half effort. A situation Flood was soon to remedy.

BOHEMIANS: Murphy; Rossiter, Heary, Price, Cahill; Dixon, O’Brien, Traynor (Somers 82), Brennan; Flood, Fagan.

DROGHEDA UNITED: Quirke; Gannon, McNally (Nolan 66), Whelan, Hand; McNamara (C O‘Brien 70), McCrossan, M O’Brien, Lester, Freeman; Corcoran.

Referee: R Winter (Dublin).

St Patrick’s Ath 2 Bray Wanderers 3

By Mark Cummins

BRAY came from behind to snatch all three points on a dramatic night at Richmond Park.

An own goal from Derek Prendergast along with Evan McMillan’s header early in the second half had put Pat’s in control but a double from debutant Conor Murphy and Joe Kendrick’s late free-kick gave Wanderers the points.

Pat’s took the lead on 23 minutes when Prendergast met Daryl Kavanagh’s free-kick in the Bray box, but in his attempt to clear the danger he could only divert the ball past Matt Gregg in his own goal.

Ian Daly nearly put Pat’s further ahead on three minutes later but his fierce shot from the left of the area was well saved by Gregg.

Pat’s looked to be in full control from then on and eventually doubled their advantage on 48 minutes when a corner from Kavanagh was headed past Gregg and into the top corner of the net by McMillan.

Bray pulled a goal back on 70 minutes thanks to a low close-range finish from substitute Murphy.

Murphy then put Bray back on level terms when he headed in Shane O’Neill’s cross from the left on 75 minutes and Kendrick completed the dramatic turnaround with a cracking free-kick that took a deflection off the Pat’s wall as it cannoned past Rogers eight minutes from the end.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Rogers; Bermingham, E McMillan, Kenna, Pender; Murphy (Doyle 61), Mulcahy, McFaul, Kavanagh (Keegan 87); D McMillan, Daly (North 78).

BRAY WANDERERS: Gregg; Webster, Mitchell, Prendergast, Kendrick; Zambra (O’Neill 66), O’Connor (Murphy 66), Dempsey, Kelly (Doyle 86); Shields, Mulroy.

Referee: A Buttimer (Cork).