Soccer

Pat’s stay in the hunt for Europe despite Oman red card

Bray Wanderers took the lead from the spot before Liam Buckley’s depleted side turned it around

Conan Byrne of St Patrick’s Athletic celebrates scoring his first and his side’s third against Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds. Photograph: Donall Farmer / Inpho
Conan Byrne of St Patrick’s Athletic celebrates scoring his first and his side’s third against Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds. Photograph: Donall Farmer / Inpho
Fri Sept 19 2014 - 21:47

Bray Wanderers 2 St Patrick’s Athletic 4

Two goals in as many minutes turned this game on its head early in the second half as St. Patrick’s, who played for some 80 minutes with 10 men, came from behind to maintain their push for Europe via the league.

A third successive league win, and sixth in all competitions, moves Liam Buckley's in-form champions eight points clear of fourth-placed Shamrock Rovers in the table.

Relegation-threatened Bray started positively and took the lead from a 13th minute penalty.

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Ismahil Akinade nodded Adam Hanlon's ball down for the run through of David Cassidy, who was pulled down by Ken Oman. Referee Paul Tuite sent off the defender and Jake Kelly scored emphatically from the spot.

The 10 men slowly worked their way back into the match and equalised seven minutes before half-time, courtesy of eagle-eyed assistant referee Michelle O'Neill. Chris Forrester's 30-yard drive came down off the underside of the crossbar and spun out with Christy Fagan heading the rebound over. But after a short delay O'Neill flagged Tuite who gave the goal.

Keith Fahey then changed the complexion of the match nine minutes into the second half when his low cross outwitted Bray goalkeeper Stephen McGuinness to sneak into the net at the far post.

Scarcely over a minute later Fahey teed up Conan Byrne to drill home the visitors' third goal.

Byrne added a fourth on 63 minutes when his right wing cross deceived McGuinness to fly in at the far corner.

Bray rallied in the latter stages with Cassidy hitting a post and Akinade having an effort spectacularly cleared off the line by Killian Brennan, before Hanlon headed a goal back from a Graham Kelly corner on 80 minutes.

Bray Wanderers: McGuinness; Cooney, Webster, Mitchell, Gorman; Hanlon, Zambra, G. Kelly, J. Kelly; Cassidy (O’Neill, 77); Akinade (Scully, 70).

St. Patrick’s Athletic: Clarke; O’Brien, Hoare, Oman, Greene; Bolger; Byrne, Fahey (Chambers, 78), Brennan, Forrester (Fitzgerald, 90+1); Fagan (Quigley, 70)

Referee: Paul Tuite (Dublin).