Cork City crestfallen as Bray Wanderers snatch a point with two late goals

Cork City's Cian Murphy celebrates his first goal against Bray Wanderers at Turner's Cross. Picture: Eddie O'Hare

Cork City 2 Bray Wanderers 2

Honours finished even as Cork City were pegged back by Bray Wanderers thanks to an injury-time Andrew Quinn equaliser. 

For City, it was an evening of missed chances in front of goal, something fans of the Rebel Army have seen all too often this campaign.

Cork City dictated the early moments and in the fifth minute, they were given an early reward for their efforts. After the ball broke to Beineón O’Brien-Whitmarsh, he fed his strike partner Cian Murphy and with only the keeper to beat, he calmly converted from close range.

The opening 25 minutes saw chances for both sides, with Irish under-21 goalkeeper Brian Maher making a good save from O’Brien-Whitmarsh. Maher’s opposite number Mark McNulty was tested twice but stood up well to save on both occasions.

As the half wore on, the fluidity of movement in the Bray midfield was causing issues for Colin Healy’s side, but it was City who were to have the next real chance of note. City skipper Gearóid Morrissey picked up a loose pass from the Bray defence, drove towards goal, and unleashed a shot. Maher was only able to parry clear into the path of the lively O’Brien-Whitmarsh, who couldn’t convert the rebound.

The 35th minute saw another chance afforded to the City number nine. His hard work off the ball gave him space to run at the Bray defence, he unselfishly fed an overlapping Gordon Walker. With the goal at his mercy, Walker had the chance to shoot but he instead opted to square to O’Brien-Whitmarsh who was thwarted by a last-ditch block from Mark Byrne.

Bray looked to start the second half on the front foot, feeding in-form striker Joe Doyle at the earliest opportunity, but Cian Coleman proved to have the measure of the frontman.

City doubled their lead in the 54th minute, thanks to the same pair responsible for their first. O’Brien-Whitmarsh crossed perfectly for Murphy to nod home for his fifth goal of the season.

Bray looked to get back into the game with the introduction of new signing Sam Verdon on the hour mark adding an increased goal threat to their attack. 

A clean sheet was no doubt top of the list for Colin Healy once they had secured the two-goal cushion but the Seagulls managed to pull a goal back in the 83rd minute after Darren Craven found space in the City box. He fired high to the roof of the net, giving McNulty no chance in the City goal.

And the all-important equaliser came in the dying embers, as City looked to hold on, the ball landed at Quinn’s feet from McNulty’s punch, and he dispatched into the bottom corner. Two points dropped for a City side that is really struggling now.

CORK CITY (4-4-2): McNulty; Walker, Hakkinen, Coleman, Beattie; Crowley, Morrissey, Byrne, McGlade (Hurley, 90); O’Brien-Whitmarsh (Walsh, 76), Murphy (Kargbo, 70).

BRAY WANDERERS (4-5-1): Maher; Byrne, Quinn, Barry, Barnett (O’Shea, 82); Lovic (Verdon, 61) , Clifford, Kavanagh, O’Farrell (Jones, 61), Craven; Doyle.

Referee: Paul McLaughlin