Bohemians 1 Bray Wanderers 1: Bray moved four points clear of the bottom of the division with a precious point at Dalymount Park last night. Eddie Gormley's side showed a bit of grit to dig out a point from a game that saw both goal-scorers red carded for second bookable offences.
Aidan O'Keeffe had opened the scoring for Bohemians in the second minute while Paul O'Reilly levelled for Bray.
Bohemians took the lead when O'Keeffe found the net from close range after Bray goalkeeper Chris O'Connor could only parry a Stephen Rice header from a Conor Powell cross.
Wanderers drew level in the 55th minute after exposing some hesitant home defending down the right flank from a Ronan Ivory throw-in.
Stephen Fox took the ball into the danger area then squared for Andrei Georgescu, who saw his shot deflected across goal, where Paul O'Reilly was well placed to finish from a tight angle.
Bray suffered a blow when O'Reilly received his marching orders for a second bookable offence in the 63rd minute.
Despite the numerical disadvantage, the visitors almost took the lead six minutes later when James O'Shea robbed Bohemians' goalkeeper Stephen O'Brien outside his box but his shot was cleared by the covering Stephen Caffrey.
Bohemians were always dangerous from O'Keeffe's corner kicks and twice could have scored from his deliveries in the 71st minute. Kevin Hunt forced an O'Connor save with his header from O'Keeffe's first corner and then from the resulting flag-kick Rice saw his header rattle the far post.
O'Keeffe's night too was to end in frustration as he saw red for two bookings within the space of six minutes.
BOHEMIANS: O'Brien; N O'Reilly, Powell, Ferguson , S Caffrey, Rice, Hunt, Heary, Kelly, O'Keeffe, Dunphy (McGuinness, 72).
BRAY WANDERERS: O'Connor; Ivory, Deans, Tresson, Fox, D Tyrell, P O'Reilly, James, P Caffrey, Georgescu, O'Shea (Lacey, 75).
Referee: A Buttimer ( Cork ).
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