AIRTRICITY LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION: Bray Wanderers 1 Derry City 2:JAMES McClean's first goal of the season gave Derry a victory they deserved at the Carlisle Grounds.
In a tight game, Bray’s Conor Murphy missed a sitter when heading wide from Danny O’Connor’s cross midway through the second half. It proved costly as Derry struck to win it on 74 minutes.
Eddie McCallion and Eamon Zayed worked the ball to substitute Stephen McLaughlin on the right and his deep cross was headed home at the back post by midfielder McClean.
Derry had the strong wind at their back in the first half but never really troubled Bray’s defence until taking the lead from a set-piece on 22 minutes.
Bray manager Pat Devlin will have been furious with how the goal came about after Derek Prendergast conceded the free-kick for a foul on David McDaid on the left.
Kevin Deery’s delivery to the back post had plenty of pace on it and left-back Daniel Laffery ghosted in unmarked to head past Matt Gregg.
Bray’s tenacity showed as they levelled five minutes before the break. Again it came from a set-piece as Gary Dempsey’s ball found Dane Massey at the far post. The left-back put the ball across the goal where Jake Kelly arrived to fire home.
Terrific defending from Adam Mitchell, who got in a goal-saving tackle on Zayed, prevented Derry regaining the lead from a swift counter four minutes into the second half, but that was as close as they came.
BRAY WANDERERS:Gregg; Zambra, Mitchell, Prendergast, Massey; O'Neill, Dempsey, D O'Connor, J Kelly (G Kelly, 87 mins); Murphy (McGuinness, 87 mins), Mulroy (Houston, 84 mins).
DERRY CITY:Doherty; McCallion, Greacen, S McEleney, Lafferty; McGlynn, Deery (T. McBride, 87 mins), Higgins, McClean; McDaid (McLaughlin, 57 mins), Zayed.
Referee:G Kelly (Cork).
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