Cork City survive Bray scare to keep unbeaten record intact

Bray were full value for their interval advantage through Ifunanyachi Achara but a wonder-strike from left-back Conor Drinan keeps Barry Robson’s Rebel Army motoring towards their sole objective of promotion.

Fri, 24 Apr, 2026 - 21:56

John Fallon

First Division: Bray Wanderers 1 (Ifunanyachi Achara 28) Cork City 1 (Conor Drinan 53)

Their unbeaten record remaining intact and a six-point buffer after 11 games represents an adequate position for City after surviving a scare at the Seaside.

The Seagulls went close to joining First Division champions Dundalk in the top-flight when they pushed Waterford in the promotion/relegation play-off but they have been slow to mount a charge at the undisputed favourites for the title.

One point from the last four matches was indicative of a mini-slump that drifted them out to fifth coming into this visit by City but their home form had proven the consolation for Bray fans harbouring ambitions of returning to the Premier Division they last inhabited in 2018.

Since opening the season with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Longford Town at the Carlisle Grounds, they’d won their three home league games in Wicklow, followed by the midweek Leinster Senior Cup triumph over Drogheda United.

What also encouraged them is the closeness of the last battle between the teams, when Seáni Maguire’s goal at Turner’s Cross in February made the difference.

That was City’s third win in a row, an early streak that seemed to be ominous for others in their pursuit of an immediate Premier return, but draws at Cobh Ramblers and Finn Harps, as well as the necessity to come from two goals behind to Kerry, offered a semblance of hope for the field.

Still, they travelled to the Garden County holding an eight-point buffer at the summit but had to replicate their resolve by recovering from a first-half concession.

It was an interval deficit City would hardly quibble about. On the upside, they carried enough penetration in the final third to have a couple of penalty claims rejected, the first when former goalkeeper Jimmy Corcoran connected with Josh Fitzpatrick and Cian Doyle shouldered Maguire out of play approaching the whistle.

Lively winger Fitzpatrick also cracked a low shot off the post but otherwise the Seagulls were flying when it came to chances.

Tyreik Sammy wasted the pick of them, failing to capitalise on the space he was afforded to rampage clear on 17 minutes.

Somehow, he scuffed his shot wide when the option to round Conor Brann was also available.

Brann was tested midway through the half after Richard Ferizaj was first to a right-wing cross, forcing the goalkeeper into a low one-handed stop from close-range.

Bray were the team probing but their breakthrough on 28 minutes arrived through unlikely means, with Ferizaj centrally involved.

When Harry Nevin’s inside caught Greg Bolger unawares on the halfway line, Ben McCormack nipped in to dispossess. He was still inside the Cork City D area of the centre-circle but spotted Brann off his line and executed a lob that had the stopper scrambling.

As the ball struck the crossbar, Brann got tangled inside his net, creating the space for Achara to gleefully sweep home the rebound.

It might have been a Kerry repeat had Alain Kzenga succeeded in finishing a 40-yard slaloming run as the half-time whistle loomed but Robson could be confident they packed enough clout to respond.

That took just eight minutes of the second half to materialise. Once again, a long-range effort into the northern end delivered the goal, as Drinan advanced from the half-way line to arrow his 25-yard strike into the top corner.

Opportunities were traded to pinch the victory. As much as Sammy and Ferizaj threatened to bag the winner, City were equally dangerous in the closing stages.

Ruairi Keating, on for the final 20 minutes, was denied by Corcoran in the final minutes after being freed through the middle. Another sub, Matthew Murray, could also have grabbed a second for Cork but Bray were deserving of their point.

Elsewhere, Wexford beat Cobh Ramblers 2-0 with goals in either half from Mikie Rowe and Gavin Hodgins. An 89th-minute winner from Gradi Lomboto saw Athlone Town beat Finn Harps 2-1 in Ballybofey and UCD won 3-0 at home to Treaty United.

BRAY WANDERERS: J Corcoran; A Kzenga, B Fagbemi, D Osagie, D O’Shea; C Doyle, B McCormack (S Brennan 68); A Nyembo (B O’Neill 61), R Ferizaj, I Achara; T Sammy.

CORK CITY: C Brann; H Nevin, C Lyons, F Kelleher, C Drinan; D Crowley, G Bolger (AJ Bridge 75); J Fitzpatrick (R Keating 70), C Murphy, H Mpongo (M Murray 87); S Maguire.

Referee: Daniel Murphy.

Attendance: 1,313.