St Patrick's Athletic 1 Bray Wanderers 1:A TREMENDOUS second-half save from Chris O'Connor earned Bray a point as his side finished with nine men.

St Patrick’s also had a player sent off in a tempestuous clash on the banks of the Camac as Limerick referee Mark Gough had a busy night.

O’Connor’s moment came on 74 minute when he dived full stretch to somehow touch Mark Quigley’s 30-yard free-kick onto post and out for a corner.

A minute later Bray Substitute Chris Deans, only booked for dissent two minutes before, was shown a second yellow by Gough for a tackle on Stephen Maher.

That added to a double sending off on the hour mark. St Patrick’s midfielder John Lester reacted to a bad challenge by Dave Mulcahy. The two squared up to each other and Gough gave both a straight red card.

Mulcahy had just equalised for Bray five minutes earlier as the visitors punished poor defending.

Maher was booked for a foul on Bray left-back Dane Massey. Massey took the free which goalkeeper Gary Rogers allowed to float over his head and Mulcahy ghosted in behind to side-foot to the net.

Bray were struggling to defend and they again went unpunished on 19 minutes when Lester met Gareth O’Connor’s corner to plant his header wide.

Bray duly fell behind from another corner on 31 minutes as their marking was shocking again.

Central defender Dave Partridge rose unchallenged to power home his towering header from another good delivery by O’Connor for his first goal for the club.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Roger; Maher, Gavin, Partridge, D Ryan; Guy, Lester, Lynch (Stevens, 85 mins), O’Connor; Moran (Haran, 66 mins), Quigley.

BRAY WANDERERS: O’Connor; Doyle, Mulcahy, Webster, Massey; Coughlan (Deans, 65 mins), Brennan, Shields, McCabe; Kavanagh (Forsyth, h/t), Kelly (O‘Neill, 89 mins).

Referee: M Gough (Limerick).