Houston launches Bray to victory

Bray Wanderers 4 UCD 0: BRAY WANDERERS, inspired by a hat-trick from midfielder Seán Houston, completed a clean sweep over UCD…

Bray Wanderers 4 UCD 0:BRAY WANDERERS, inspired by a hat-trick from midfielder Seán Houston, completed a clean sweep over UCD with a fourth win of the season in the league encounters between the two sides.

With both teams already assured of a place in the Premier Division next season, this was a typical end-of-season meeting in front of a meagre crowd of just 250.

The Seagulls had the perfect start when Chris Shields put Jake Kelly through on the left and the winger’s precise cross was hammered home into the roof of the net on eight minutes from 15 yards by ex-UCD man Houston.

College went close to an equaliser on 28 minutes when midfielder Paul Corry had a shot from the edge of the box deflected into the arms of alert Bray goalkeeper Darren Quigley.

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But it was Bray who stretched their lead on 48 minutes when a corner by skipper Gary Dempsey on the left was cleverly headed home at the far post by Houston.

And it was Houston again who had his third goal 10 minutes later when he fired home left-footed from 22 yards after Dempsey had created the opening.

The agony continued for College when sub John Mulroy combined with winger Dean Jambra for Jake Kelly to fire home from the edge of the box on 66 minutes.

BRAY WANDERERS: Quigley; O’Connor, Mitchell, Prendergast, Massey; Zambra, Dempsey (G Kelly 74), Houston, J Kelly; O’Neill (Mulroy 48), Shields.

UCD: Barron; O’Conor, O’Connor, Leahy, Ledwith (Lyons 61); Marshall (Boyle 61), Creevy, Corry (McCabe 69), Doyle, Meenan; Rusk.

Referee: D McKeon (Dublin).