Waterford United lose to Bray in Under 19 League
Waterford United 1 Bray Wanderers 3
Having come from behind twice to defeat the leaders Shelbourne the previous week, Waterford United were brought crashing back down to earth at the RSC on Saturday last. .
They went into the game with high hopes of closing the gap at the summit especially after Shelbourne's win over St. Patrick's Athletic the night before and they created the first chance of the game on five minutes but Ross Fitzpatrick couldn't keep his header on target after getting on the end of a Mark Walsh free kick.
From that moment in the game, the Blues didn't look the same team that they've have been in recent weeks and they fell behind to a goal on 17 minutes when Adam Cox's left-wing cross wasn't dealt with and Michael Brown found the corner of the net with a curling 20-yard left-footed effort that gave James Quinlan little chance.
Johnny St Ledger went close to levelling the tie five minutes later when he cut in from the left side of the area but after keeper Stephen McGuinness had saved his effort, Gavin Purcell looked certain to score the rebound but the whistle sounded for an infringement on the keeper.
The Blues winger should have done alot better with an opportunity that fell his way on 24 minutes when he did well out on the left to get past his marker before bringing the ball onto his right-foot, however his shot was weak and straight at McGuinness.
Blues keeper James Quinlan came to his sides rescue sixty seconds later when goalscorer Brown raced onto a superbly timed pass from Adam Cox but he was denied by a fine save but a second Bray Wanderers goal wasn't long arriving.
They carved the Blues open down the left-side as Corey Franzoni played the ball out to Michael Brown, who had all the time in the world to cross to the back post for Sean Franzoni played the ball out to Michael Brown, who had all the time in the world to cross to the back post for Sean Hurley and he made no mistake with a simple close range finish.
Andrew O'Connor had a chance to pull a goal back for the Blues from a free kick on the stroke of the half time whistle but his free kick from the right-side just flashed wide of Stephen McGuinness far upright with the latter well beaten.
The Blues grabbed themselves a lifeline when they pulled a goal back on 61 minutes when central defender Kilian Cantwell rose highest inside the penalty area to meet a Mark Walsh left-wing corner kick and his header flew into the top corner past keeper Stephen McGuinness. However it was Eoin Rossi who scored the 4th goal of the game for the visitors with time running out an that was that from a Waterford United point of view.
WATERFORD UNITED: James Quinlan, Keelan Hickey, Andrew O'Connor, Patrick Fitzgerald, Kilian Cantwell, Cormac Breslin, Mark Walsh (Conor O'Reilly `86), Niall McCabe (Josh Aimiuhi `77), Ross Fitzpatrick, Johnny St. Ledger (Robbie Mulligan `77)
BRAY WANDERERS: Stephen McGuinness, Craig Dowling, Bryan Doyle, Eoin Kinsella, Thomas Walsh, Eoin Rossi, Adam Cox (Nathan O'Royane `77), Paul Murphy, Corey Franzoni (Aaron Byrne `77), Sean Hurley, Michael Brown (Ryan Swan `77)
Referee: Andrew Mullally assisted by Adam Tszample and Richie Brazil
