Bray Wanderers (1) - St Patrick's Athletic (2)

Bray Wanderers 1 - St Patrick's Athletic 2

Saints legend Ginger O'Rourke was on hand at the Carlisle Grounds to see present day Saints favourite Keith Fahey net an injury time winner for John McDonnell's side in an action packed FAI Ford Cup third round match.

Another Saints legend, Wanderers boss Eddie Gormley must surely have thought his side had secured a mid-week replay at Richmond Park from a game in which they played second best for long periods before ten-man St Pat's produced a winner at the death.

A clever link up between midfield star Joseph Ndo and substitute Ryan Guy led to Fahey in space on the edge of the Bray penalty area and his deflected shot rolled past Steve Williams in the Bray goal to send the large and vocal travelling support into raptures.

There was no hint of the late heroics to come as Saints dominated from the start. Heavy rain made for a slippery surface but neat passing between Fahey and Mark Quigley set up the former for the first real chance of the game only for Williams to save well.

But moments later Fahey returned the compliment and his floating free kick was deflected into the path of Quigley who volleyed superbly to the back of the net after just 13 minutes.

Saints lost Michael Foley to injury after only 25 minutes but his replacement Anto Murphy made an immediate impact with some surging runs down the right side of midfield, linking up well with Dave Rogers who was solid throughout. And it was a Murphy cross on 40mins which almost produced a second for Pats when Bray #3 ex-Saint Gary Cronin, almost turned the ball into his own net.

Barry Ryan had little to do in the first half with a Gary McCabe shot just before half time the only serious effort from a Bray side that found itself being outplayed in every area of the park.

However the Seagulls came out fighting in the second half and pressed forward looking for an equaliser. Gormley introduced Emeka Onwubiko on the hour mark and the teenage striker almost made an immediate impact, causing trouble for Brennan and Paisley in the Pats defence with referee Anthony Buttimer waving away shouts for a penalty after Stephen Brennan was alleged to have handled the ball from an Onwubiko shot. Andrei Georgescu was introduced on 79mins and only two minutes later he played a part in Bray gaining a corner kick which Alan Cawley sent in and it was another ex-Saint, centre-back Clive Delaney who headed the ball home after Ryan had parried the initial attempt.

Wanderers must have thought their luck was in when Anthony Murphy was sent off with only four minutes remaining after what seemed a harsh decision from Buttimer saw the player booked for a hand ball in the centre of the park when it appeared that there was no intent on the part of the Saints midfielder. Indeed Murphy received two of only three yellow cards dished out on the night, the other being to Cawley on 79 minutes for tugging the shirt of Ndo. However it took the intervention of the fourth official some minutes later for the referee to realise that it was Murphy's second offence, a hold-up that led to 5 minutes of additional time being added on at the end of the game.

And it proved a blessing in disguise for St Pat's when after 94 mins Fahey popped up to score the winner and leave Saints fans dreaming that this could finally be their year.

Match Report

Bray Wanderers 1 - St Patrick's Athletic 2

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