O’Sullivan back with bang

Bray Wanderers 2 Longford Town 2

Now there is all to play for in next Friday’s second leg tie at Longford’s City Calling Stadium after a game which Bray looked in control of after Jason Byrne had scored twice to give them a 2-0 lead after 31 minutes.

Longford were unfortunate to lose both key central defender Des Hope and striker Gary Shaw through injury during the first half with manager Tony Cousins having to introduce substitutes Gavin Doyle and Josh O’Hanlon.

Byrne went close to a hat-trick in the second half when his header from a Marty Waters corner was hacked off the line by the Longford defence and he then volleyed the rebound over the bar.

Against the run of play Longford reduced the deficit on 61 minutes when O’Hanlon supplied a superb ball for Dean Ebbe to rifle home a shot from 20 yards.

Bray responded when Gary Dempsey supplied a perfect ball for Waters to beat defender Noel Haverty, only for his shot to hit both the crossbar and upright before rebounding to safety.

Longford were jubilant in the 83rd minute when a free-kick by Ryan Connolly was only partly headed clear by defender Dave Webster and former Bray man O’Sullivan fired home the equaliser from 20 yards.

BRAY WANDERERS: Quigley; D Doyle, Webster, S O’Connor, Zambra (Earley 38), Akinade, K O’Connor, Maher (Mulroy 71), Waters, Dempsey, J Byrne.

LONGFORD TOWN: Bennion; Haverty, Deans, Hope (G Doyle 7), Quinn, Ebbe (O’Brien 79), Gorman, Connolly, Purdy, O’Sullivan, Shaw (O’Hanlon 31).

Referee: Graham Kelly (Cork).