FAI CUP Shelbourne 1 Bray Wanderers 0: FORTUNE MAY have deserted them in last year's final when they lost on penalties to Sligo Rovers, but Shelbourne rode their luck last night as Philip Gorman's first-half goal gave them a scarcely deserved win in this second round replay.
Substitute Dane Massey came within inches of forcing extra-time when his header from Adam Hanlon’s corner came back off a post in the 83rd minute.
Bray goalkeeper Darren Quigley then had to make the save of the game a minute from time when pushing away Paddy Kavanagh’s shot.
A sluggish start by Shelbourne, whose defence looked most unsure of itself, allowed Bray to settle and create the early openings.
A weak back-header by Shelbourne left-back Barry Clancy gave Kieran Waters the first scent of goal on eight minutes but the winger couldn’t get enough of a toe to the ball to trouble Dean Delany.
Waters, who hit the equaliser at the Carlisle Grounds in Fridays drawn game, wasn’t far off with a left-foot drive from distance seven minutes later.
Shelbourne survived another mistake on 20 minutes, this time from Andy Boyle’s short back pass.
The alert Delany did well on the double, first racing off his line to tackle the inrushing Jason Byrne before hacking the loose ball out for a corner.
Kavanagh’s curling right-foot shot from the edge of the area, after Philly Hughes held the ball up well, wasn’t far wide as Shelbourne finally registered a chance on 29 minutes.
Completely against the run of play, Alan Mathews’s side then stole what proved the winning goal in stoppage time at the end of the first half.
Bray didn’t deal with Kavanagh’s diagonal ball into the area and it broke back to Gorman who poked low to the net from about 12 yards.
SHELBOURNE: Delany; Ryan, Boyle, Shortall, Clancy; Cassidy, Cronin, Dawson, Kavanagh; Hughes (A Murphy, 84 mins), Gorman.
BRAY WANDERERS: Quigley; Webster, D. O'Connor, Sweeney, Knight (Kelty, 84 mins); Hanlon, Zambra (Bolger, 88 mins), Houston (Massey, 67mins), Waters; Mulroy; Byrne.
Referee: Neil Doyle(Dublin).
