Shelbourne finish their season on a positive note

Shelbourne ... 3 Bray Wanderers ... 1: An early own-goal and late strikes from Jim Gannon and Ollie Cahill brought Shelbourne's season to a satisfactory end at Tolka Park last night in a game that never had an end-of-season feel to it.

Competitive from the starting whistle, the chances came thick and fast, with Shelbourne in front after just four minutes.

Wes Hoolahan appears destined for a bigger stage soon and he displayed the full repertoire of his left-foot skills.

Bray captain Jody Lynch was beaten at the end line by Hoolahan, whose low cross was dispatched to his own net by Wes Charles with a misdirected diving header.

It was far from one-way traffic, though, and Bray might have been level within three minutes when Jason Byrne brought a full-length save from Steve Williams.

But Hoolahan was soon back to mesmerise the Bray defence, ghosting past two attempted tackles to cross for Ollie Cahill, whose volley was palmed out for a corner by Matt Gregg.

The woodwork then twice came to Shelbourne's rescue before half-time. Byrne, a potential transfer target for Shelbourne in the close season, clipped the outside of Williams' left-hand post with a 25-yard shot before midfielder Phil Keogh rattled the other upright with a crisp volley from a similar distance.

Shelbourne killed off Bray on 73 minutes when Gannon toe-poked home after Kevin Doherty knocked down Davy Byrne's cross.

Cahill lobbed Gregg for the third nine minutes later before Keogh got a fully deserved consolation for Bray seven minutes from time.

SHELBOURNE: Williams; Heary, Doherty, Gannon, Crawley; R Baker, Prenderville, D Byrne, Cahill; Hoolahan, Beavers. Subs: Sheridan for Beavers, D Baker for Hoolahan (64 mins), Fenlon for D Byrne (85 mins).

BRAY WANDERERS: Gregg; Tresson, Charles, Lynch, Farrell; O'Connor, Keogh, James, Forsyth; Flood, Byrne. Subs: Lawless for O'Connor (74 mins), Fox for Flood (81 mins), O'Brien for Farrell (85 mins).

Referee: J Feighery (Dublin).