Drogs recover composure to shake off gutsy Seagulls

Second-half goals by Paul Crowley and Peter Hynes secured a hard-earned victory for Drogheda against Bray at a blustery Hunky Dorys Park.

The hosts broke the deadlock midway through the first half. Gavin Brennan’s cross wasn’t properly cleared by Bray left-back Dane Massey and Sean Brennan’s early delivery back into the six-yard area was headed home powerfully by Declan O’Brien.

The Boynesiders then lost concentration and after Massey’s shot deflected behind, Danny O’Connor’s hooked effort from the resulting corner was superbly stopped by keeper Gabriel Sava. Adam Hanlon then shot narrowly over Sava’s crossbar, before the Seagulls deservedly levelled on 34 minutes when Adam Hanlon’s cross was nodded past Sava by Sean Houston.

A minute later Houston was clean through only to shoot straight at Sava, who then made another fine block from Kieran Marty Waters.

Drogheda had another escape on 49 minutes when Waters blasted an angled shot off the bar. The Seagulls worked a couple of other promising situations but couldn’t make them count, and they paid the price on 64 minutes.

Brian Gannon’s cross from the right was nodded back across goal by Gavin Brennan and Paul Crowley arrived on cue to power a header beyond keeper Darren Quigley.

It got better for the Drogs on 72 minutes when Bray defended a corner poorly and Hynes forced the ball home to make it 3-1.

Bray had one last attempt but Gannon made a superb clearance nodding Houston’s goalbound header up onto the underside of the bar.

DROGHEDA UTD: Sava; Gannon, McNally, Prendergast, Hand; S Brennan, Crowley, R Brennan, G Brennan; Hynes, D O’Brien. Subs: Mulvenna for O’Brien (59), Brady for S Brennan (85).

BRAY WANDERERS: Quigley; S O’Connor, D O’Connor, Mitchell, Massey; Hanlon, Mulroy, Zambra, Houston, Waters; Byrne. Subs: Hurley for Hanlon (79), Doyle for Zambra (79), Kelly for Byrne (87).

Referee: Padraig Sutton (Clare).