Sport

Quigley strike typifies new Bohs

Bohemians 3 Bray W 0: MARK QUIGLEY’S stunning first-half strike exemplified Bohemians’ recent resurgence as they eased into …

PAUL BUTTNER at Dalymount Park
Sat Sept 18 2010 - 01:00

Bohemians 3 Bray W 0:MARK QUIGLEY'S stunning first-half strike exemplified Bohemians' recent resurgence as they eased into the semi-finals.

Man-of-the-match Raffaele Cretaro and substitute Aaron Greene also rowed in with goals as Bray’s recent bubble was truly burst as they finished with 10 men.

With confidence at its season’s high with six wins from seven, manager Pat Fenlon had the luxury of naming an unchanged team for the third match running.

Equally, their best form of the year meant Bray made just one enforced change as Dane Massey came in for the injured Jake Kelly.

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With Bohemians on the front foot from the off, it took a well-timed block by Derek Prendergast on home captain Owen Heary to prevent Bray from falling behind on nine minutes.

Bray responded, and Brian Shelley had to put Gary Dempsey’s flick out for a corner.

But a poor clearance from Danny O’Connor on 13 minutes gifted Bohemians a chance. Cretaro set up strike partner Jason Byrne but he rifled wide.

Quality defending by Seán Houston, who got back to make a goal-saving tackle on Cretaro, rescued Bray. But they did fall behind to a sublime strike on 21 minutes.

There appeared little danger as winger Quigley took a pass from Cretaro 30 yards out. A controlling touch was followed by a stunning right-foot shot that arrowed past Matt Gregg.

Gregg saved well from Cretaro’s drive minutes later as Bohemians were rampant, and Byrne flashed a header wide from a cross.

But Bray posed a threat on the counter, and Jason McGuinness had to clear off the line from Dean Zambra on 37 minutes.

In the 53rd minute Brennan played Cretaro in on goal for the little Sligoman to rifle home on the run and put his side 2-0 up.

Two minutes later Quigley put Cretaro in on goal only for Shane O’Connor to pull him down and receive a straight red card.

Cretaro continued to torment the Bray defence and he turned brilliantly on 79 minutes to put Greene through. The 20-year-old waltzed around Gregg to roll the ball to the net.

BOHEMIANS: O’Connor; Heary, Shelley, McGuinness (Oman, 44 mins), Powell; Brennan, Cronin, McGlynn (Keegan, 58 mins), Quigley; Cretaro, Byrne (Greene, 70 mins).

BRAY WANDERERS: Gregg; Webster, S O’Connor, Prendergast, Houston; Zambra, Dempsey, D O’Connor (Mulroy, 74 mins), Massey (O‘Neill, 63 mins); Shaw (Mitchell, 59 mins), Shields.

Referee: Neil Doyle (Dublin).