Despite loss to UCD, Bray progress to First Division play-off final

Bray played the final half hour with 10 men after Paul Murphy was sent off.

Mon, 28 Oct, 2024 - 19:15

Paul Buttner

SSE Airtricity First Division play-off semi-final second leg: UCD 1 Bray Wanderers 0 (Bray win 2-1 on aggregate)

Bray Wanderers showed tenacious defensive resolve to frustrate UCD at the UCD Bowl to book their place in the First Division play-off final.

Despite dominating possession, and playing against 10 men for over half an hour, College needed an 89th minute Ronan Finn penalty to finally beat Jimmy Corcoran, who added to telling stops in Thursday’s first leg with a string of second-half saves here.

Bray now meet Athlone Town in Saturday’s decider at Dalymount Park to determine who plays Drogheda United in the promotion/relegation play-off on November 16.

Chasing a 2-0 deficit from the Carlisle Grounds, UCD made four changes to their starting team, needing a big first win in six games to keep their season alive.

They took the game to Bray, Adam Wells getting forward from left-back to drive his shot narrowly wide from their first sight of goal on 12 minutes.

Sam Norval then had a shot deflected for College’s first corner of the match as Bray kept their shape well in defending stoutly with Corcoran a safe pair of hands behind them as UCD failed to get a shot on target in the first half.

The game continued in the same pattern from the resumption, UCD owning the ball as Bray stood tall defensively, epitomised by a dogged block by Cole Omorehiomwan when Mikey Raggett got turned to shoot.

Stephen Mohan came close with a cross that bounced off the Wanderers' crossbar, having skipped past Harry Groome and Paul Murphy down the left.

Bray were then down to 10 men on 58 minutes when substitute Murphy saw a somewhat harsh straight red card for a follow through challenge on Wells.

UCD’s first shot on target arrived just past the hour when Eanna Clancy’s drive from distance was brilliantly clawed away by Corcoran.

The Seagulls' keeper made further stops to thwart Ciaran Behan and Donal Higgins as UCD pressed late on, finally getting a goal back on 89 minutes.

Max Murphy tripped Behan just inside the area with skipper Finn despatching from 12 yards.

Despite seven minutes of added time, UCD couldn’t find an equaliser as Bray held out, deserving their passage over the two legs.

UCD: Moore; O’Regan, Clancy, Holohan (Higgins, 66), Wells; Finn, S. Brennan (Kinsella-Bishop, 73); Behan, Norval (Doyle, 56), Mohan (McCullagh, 56); Raggett (Parker, 56).

Bray Wanderers: Corcoran; M. Murphy; Cantwell, Omorehiomwan, Cruise (P. Murphy, 43); Groome, Craven; Almirall (Duggan, 63), Griffin, O’Sullivan; Magerusan (Feeney, 73).

Referee: Declan Toland (Athlone).

Attendance: 1,112.