Cregg Fahey the inspiration as Rovers run riot to halt Seagulls’ revival

Bray Wanderers 0 Shamrock Rovers 3

All three of the Hoops goals at the Carlisle Grounds came from headers to hand Wanderers’ caretaker first team coach Maciej Tarnogrodzki his first loss.

The mercurial Keith Fahey returned from suspension to provide two assists off set-pieces as they kept pace with Dundalk and Cork at the top of the Premier Division.

But Pat Fenlon will also be happy his side registered a seventh clean sheet in their nine league games to date.

The Bray defence was breached for the first time in 284 minutes just after the half hour.

Simon Madden released Keith Fahey down the right channel. He cut the ball back for Brandon Miele whose dinked cross to the back-post picked out the unmarked Drennan to head in from six yards.

The Hoops doubled that lead 10 minutes after the interval. Fahey floated over the free from the left wing right footed and Ryan Brennan planted a close range to the net at crowded front post for his first of the campaign.

Then on the hour, central defender Maxime Blanchard met Fahey’s corner with a bullet header at the near post.

Bray Wanderers:

McGuinness; Barker, McNally, Douglas, O’Reilly; Onwubiko (Blackbyrne 83), Gallagher (McDonagh half time), Kelly (Scully 66), McEvoy, McGlynn; Cassidy.

Shamrock Rovers:

Hyland; Madden, Webster (Gavin Brennan 72), Blanchard (David O’Connor 67), Byrne; Cregg (Waters 60) Fahey; Miele, Ryan Brennan, McCabe; Drennan.

Referee:

Ben Connolly (Dublin).