BRAY WANDERERS, seemingly dead and buried at half-time, came from behind to emerge victorious in the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division Play-off Final today.
The Seagulls next face FAI Cup finalists Drogheda United in a couple of weeks with a place in next year’s Premier Division up for grabs.
In the most stereotypical ‘game of two halves’ encounter, first-half goals from Dean Ebbe and German Fuentes Rodriguez looked to have sent the Town on their way.
But a rousing second-half performance from The Wanderers sent the tie to extra time and penalties thanks to Dylan Hand’s own goal and a 92nd-minute equaliser from Cole Omorehiomwan.
1,872 in situ made a booming noise from either end of the Jodi Stand greeted kick-off as both teams went to war on the famous old ground in a bid to extend their season.
Athlone, and their cosmopolitan back four, hailing from El Salvador, Italy and two from the US, looked comfortable in possession building from the back despite the pitch feeling the effects of the previous night’s game
Although missing skipper Oisin Duffy, who failed a late fitness test having picked up a knock against Wexford, the Midlanders got the lead their dominant start deserved.
Kyle Robinson’s initial corner was well cleared by Omorehiomwan, but the former Drogheda and Shelbourne attacker got a second bite of the cherry.
A whipped inswinging cross found the head of Ebbe, who just had to glance home, such was the pace on the ball, for his 17th of the season.
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The Seagulls were dealt a double blow when the gamble to play Evan Osam from the start, who was making his first appearance since May, backfired and the young defender had to come off.
Not content with just the one, Robinson was at it again, flying down the right and cutting back for Gideon Tetteh who shot from close range and was bravely blocked by Jamie Duggan.
But from the resulting corner, Bray stopper Jimmy Corcoran failed to collect at the back post allowing Rodriguez to nod home to double his side’s lead.
With the game seemingly drifting away from them, Bray almost gave their boisterous travelling support a lift just before the break.
Cristian Magerusan, back on his old stomping ground, went on a marvellous jinking run but dragged his shot across the face of the goal.
Shane Griffin continued his run, bursting into the box, but couldn’t make sufficient contact to half the deficit.
With nothing to lose, Paul Heffernan introduced Ben Feeney from the bench to partner Magerusan up front in what felt like a last throw of the dice.
Trying desperately to build up a head of steam the substitute was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet before the hour mark.
Coming away from goal, Feeney looked to guide a John O’Sullivan cross back across where it came from with a cushioned header that narrowly missed the far corner.
The pressure finally told when O’Sullivan smashed in a low cross from the left that was inadvertently turned into his net by the unfortunate Hand, and suddenly it was game on again.
Bray threw the proverbial kitchen sink with a barrage of set pieces sailing towards Enda Minogue, seemingly to no avail. That was until the second minute of injury time when towering centre-back Omorehiomwan, acting as a stand-in striker, rose highest to power home the equaliser from Jamie Duggan’s delivery.
It was anyone’s game in an end-to-end injury time as both sides went toe-to-toe like light-weight boxers exchanging swift blows.
Brian Torre was inches away from finding the top corner with a rasping effort from outside the area before Magerusan forced Minogue into a sharp save low to his right.
But the clearest sight at goal fell to Shane Forbes who, unmarked from 12 yards out, shot straight at Corcoran with winger Peter McGregor doing all the hard work on the right.
As penalties approached, both sides missed gilt-edged chances to win but somehow fluffed their lines.
Bray kept their nerve when it mattered, showing incredible courage to come from behind to progress on penalties with Corcoran the hero saving twice from Aaron Connolly and Amardo Akeen Oakley with John O’Sullivan showing maturity beyond his years to ram home the winning spot-kick.
Bray Wanderers: Jimmy Corcoran; Jamie Duggan, Killian Cantwell, Cole Omorehiomwan, Evan Osam (Conor Knight, 15’ (Alain Kizenga, 107’); Darren Craven, Harry Groome (Billy O’Neill, 80’); Guillermo Almirall (Ben Feeney, 46’), Shane Griffin, John O’Sullivan; Cristian Magerusan
Subs not used: Stephen McGuinness, Philip Cooney, Josh McGlone, Rhys Knight
Athlone Town: Enda Minogue; Amardo Akeem Oakley, German Fuentes Rodriguez, Dylan Hand, Brian Torre; Gideon Tetteh (Jamar Campion-Hinds, 83’), Aaron Connolly, Daniel McKenna, Kyle Robinson (Shane Forbes, 69’); Leo Gaxha (Agbo BabaTunde, 69’), Dean Ebbe (Peter McGregor, 80’)
Subs not used: Andrew Stuart Trainor, Michael McHugh, Mark Huynh, Peter McGregor, Roscoe Rubinstein, Kyle Martin-Conway
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Bray beat Athlone on penalties to set up Drogheda playoff
Bray Wanderers: 2
Athlone Town: 2
(Bray win 4-2 on penalties)
Darryl Geraghty reports from Dalymount Park
BRAY WANDERERS, seemingly dead and buried at half-time, came from behind to emerge victorious in the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division Play-off Final today.
The Seagulls next face FAI Cup finalists Drogheda United in a couple of weeks with a place in next year’s Premier Division up for grabs.
In the most stereotypical ‘game of two halves’ encounter, first-half goals from Dean Ebbe and German Fuentes Rodriguez looked to have sent the Town on their way.
But a rousing second-half performance from The Wanderers sent the tie to extra time and penalties thanks to Dylan Hand’s own goal and a 92nd-minute equaliser from Cole Omorehiomwan.
1,872 in situ made a booming noise from either end of the Jodi Stand greeted kick-off as both teams went to war on the famous old ground in a bid to extend their season.
Athlone, and their cosmopolitan back four, hailing from El Salvador, Italy and two from the US, looked comfortable in possession building from the back despite the pitch feeling the effects of the previous night’s game
Although missing skipper Oisin Duffy, who failed a late fitness test having picked up a knock against Wexford, the Midlanders got the lead their dominant start deserved.
Kyle Robinson’s initial corner was well cleared by Omorehiomwan, but the former Drogheda and Shelbourne attacker got a second bite of the cherry.
A whipped inswinging cross found the head of Ebbe, who just had to glance home, such was the pace on the ball, for his 17th of the season.
The Seagulls were dealt a double blow when the gamble to play Evan Osam from the start, who was making his first appearance since May, backfired and the young defender had to come off.
Not content with just the one, Robinson was at it again, flying down the right and cutting back for Gideon Tetteh who shot from close range and was bravely blocked by Jamie Duggan.
But from the resulting corner, Bray stopper Jimmy Corcoran failed to collect at the back post allowing Rodriguez to nod home to double his side’s lead.
With the game seemingly drifting away from them, Bray almost gave their boisterous travelling support a lift just before the break.
Cristian Magerusan, back on his old stomping ground, went on a marvellous jinking run but dragged his shot across the face of the goal.
Shane Griffin continued his run, bursting into the box, but couldn’t make sufficient contact to half the deficit.
With nothing to lose, Paul Heffernan introduced Ben Feeney from the bench to partner Magerusan up front in what felt like a last throw of the dice.
Trying desperately to build up a head of steam the substitute was unlucky not to get on the scoresheet before the hour mark.
Coming away from goal, Feeney looked to guide a John O’Sullivan cross back across where it came from with a cushioned header that narrowly missed the far corner.
The pressure finally told when O’Sullivan smashed in a low cross from the left that was inadvertently turned into his net by the unfortunate Hand, and suddenly it was game on again.
Bray threw the proverbial kitchen sink with a barrage of set pieces sailing towards Enda Minogue, seemingly to no avail. That was until the second minute of injury time when towering centre-back Omorehiomwan, acting as a stand-in striker, rose highest to power home the equaliser from Jamie Duggan’s delivery.
It was anyone’s game in an end-to-end injury time as both sides went toe-to-toe like light-weight boxers exchanging swift blows.
Brian Torre was inches away from finding the top corner with a rasping effort from outside the area before Magerusan forced Minogue into a sharp save low to his right.
But the clearest sight at goal fell to Shane Forbes who, unmarked from 12 yards out, shot straight at Corcoran with winger Peter McGregor doing all the hard work on the right.
As penalties approached, both sides missed gilt-edged chances to win but somehow fluffed their lines.
Bray kept their nerve when it mattered, showing incredible courage to come from behind to progress on penalties with Corcoran the hero saving twice from Aaron Connolly and Amardo Akeen Oakley with John O’Sullivan showing maturity beyond his years to ram home the winning spot-kick.
Bray Wanderers: Jimmy Corcoran; Jamie Duggan, Killian Cantwell, Cole Omorehiomwan, Evan Osam (Conor Knight, 15’ (Alain Kizenga, 107’); Darren Craven, Harry Groome (Billy O’Neill, 80’); Guillermo Almirall (Ben Feeney, 46’), Shane Griffin, John O’Sullivan; Cristian Magerusan
Subs not used: Stephen McGuinness, Philip Cooney, Josh McGlone, Rhys Knight
Athlone Town: Enda Minogue; Amardo Akeem Oakley, German Fuentes Rodriguez, Dylan Hand, Brian Torre; Gideon Tetteh (Jamar Campion-Hinds, 83’), Aaron Connolly, Daniel McKenna, Kyle Robinson (Shane Forbes, 69’); Leo Gaxha (Agbo BabaTunde, 69’), Dean Ebbe (Peter McGregor, 80’)
Subs not used: Andrew Stuart Trainor, Michael McHugh, Mark Huynh, Peter McGregor, Roscoe Rubinstein, Kyle Martin-Conway
Referee: Marc Lynch (Galway)
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German Fuentes Rodriguez League of Ireland LOI Progress Soccer Athlone Town Bray Wanderers