McCabe steers five-goal Hoops past Bray

Shamrock Rovers 5 Bray Wanderers 2

Gary McCabe was central to everything as Rovers buried their Bray bogey to move level at the top of the table with Sligo Rovers with a game in hand.

Ex-Bray winger McCabe scored twice and was involved in a sending off while also winning the free-kick from which Rohan Ricketts scored his first goal for the club.

Bray, who had beaten Rovers twice this season, took the lead on 26 minutes from Jake Kelly‘s stunning rising shot.

But ten minutes later Bray had right-back Shane O’Connor sent off for a second booking for a foul on McCabe with Bray boss Pat Devlin sent from the dugout for dissent.

Rovers were level right on 45 minutes with Ronan Finn setting up McCabe to rifle a crisp shot to the net.

Ricketts put Rovers in front direct from a free-kick five minutes into the second half with McCabe shooting home his second in style seven minutes later.

Finn raced onto Gary O’Neill’s through ball to add a fourth goal on 68 minutes before Gary Twigg headed the fifth from Billy Dennehy's cross right on 90.

Kelly got a second consolation goal for Bray two minutes into added time.