North strikes as Pat’s tame Bray

Bray 0 St Patrick’s Athletic 1

North’s late opportunist goal ended the Seagulls unbeaten run in a game which had a sour ending with Bray defender Adam Mitchell shown the red card in added time as tempers boiled over.

The Saints did have early chances when first defender Ian Bermingham put striker Daryl Kavanagh in the clear down the left, but his angled shot from 15 yards was narrowly off target.

Bray had what looked like legitimate appeals for a penalty turned down on 28 minutes when a Danny O’Connor cross appeared to be handled by St.Pat’s midfielder Paul Crowley inside the area. But Cork referee Alan Kelly decided merely to award a corner.

There was no lack of effort from either side but on a night when defences were totally on top, respective ‘keepers Gregg and Gary Rogers were often virtual spectators — such was lack of finishing finesse from both teams.

But that all changed on 78 minutes when midfielder Stephen Bradley supplied the pass for defender Ian Bermingham to send in a low defence-splitting pass from the left for North to finish from close range giving Gregg no chance.

BRAY WANDERERS; — Gregg; Webster, Mitchell, Prendergast , Massey (McGuinness 86); J.Kelly, Dempsey, D.O’Connor, Mulroy (O’Neill 69); C.Murphy, Shields (G.Kelly 72).

ST. PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: — Rogers; Pender, E.McMillan,Shortall, Bermingham; A.Murphy (Stewart 87), Bradley, Crowley, Derek Doyle; Kavanagh, North (D.McMillan 90).

Referee: Alan Kelly (Cork).