Bray Wanderers 0 Derry City 1: Derry City kept in touch with Premier Division leaders Shelbourne when a superb Alan Murphy goal after 27 minutes gave them a well-deserved victory over Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds last night.
Murphy's goal and the excellent defending of Clive Delaney and veteran Peter Hutton were the basis for this latest Derry triumph.
With the strong wind in their favour in the first half, it was no surprise that Derry dominated the early exchanges. A corner from Brian Cash on the right allowed Eamon Doherty to get in a header pushed up in the air by Chris O'Connor. But the 20-year-old Aussie-born goalkeeper was then able to claw the ball away to safety as Derry continued their onslaught.
In a rare incursion into Derry territory following a long clearance by O'Connor, Bray were denied by the legs of goalkeeper David Forde after a snap shot by midfielder Robbie McGuinness.
Striker Gary Beckett did have the ball in the net for the visitors on 15 minutes only to be ruled out for offside.
But it was Derry who eventually grabbed the opener on 27 minutes after a long free from midfield by central defender Hutton.
Murphy was quickest to react with a stunning curling shot high into the corner of the net past the diving O'Connor from 25 yards. It was a finish of the highest quality.
The nearest Bray came to an equaliser came on 70 minutes after striker Eamon Zayed was fouled by Doherty.
Even the introduction of late substitutes Kevin Grogan and Ciaran O'Brien could not help Bray's cause. There was no be no denying a resolute Derry side who kept in touch with leaders Shelbourne with a gritty defensive display especially those stalwart men at the back - Delaney and Hutton.
BRAY: O'Connor; O'Hanlon, Lynch, Charles, Tresson, Keogh; Dunne, James (Grogan 76 mins), Long, McGuinness (O'Brien 79 mins); Zayed.
DERRY: Forde; McCallion, Delaney, Hutton, Hargan; Cash, Martyn, Doherty, Farren (K Brennan 79 mins); Murphy, Beckett (o'FLynn 59 mins). Booked: (Hutton 80 mins).
Referee: Alan Kelly (Cork).
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