Bray pluck draw from jaws of defeat

Rescuing a draw from the jaws of defeat seems apt, but Bray know they should have won this game, a win that would have put them…

Rescuing a draw from the jaws of defeat seems apt, but Bray know they should have won this game, a win that would have put them top of the table.

Ironically, it was Rovers who threw away a two-goal lead and top spot as Jason Byrne scored twice inside the last 25 minutes to give Bray their fully deserved point.

Rovers's first goal came on 32 minutes after they won a free-kick 25 yards out. The sight of Marc Kenny lining up to strike from that distance is enough to keep any goalkeeper on his toes, but John Walsh was left totally frustrated as Kenny's shot took a deflection off the Bray wall to loop in.

Nine minutes into the second-half Bray were rocked again: Tony Grant climbing to head home Kenny's corner for Rovers.

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John Ryan then led the revival, crossing for Jason Byrne to tap in Bray's first on 65 minutes. Byrne then provided the equaliser on 75 minutes when rising at the back post to head in Eddie Gormley's cross.

Bray Wanderers: Walsh; Gifford, Tresson, Doohan, Farrell; J Ryan, A Byrne, Gormley, Keogh; K O'Brien, J. Byrne. Subs: B O'Connor for O'Brien (61 mins).

Shamrock Rovers: O'Dowd; Smith, Palmer, Deans, Dunne; Kenny, Colwell, Kenny, Tracey, Byrne; Grant, Francis. Subs: Woods for Kenny (70 mins), Vaudequin for Francis (84 mins), Purdy for Byrne (90 mins).

Referee: J Feighery (Dublin).