Soccer

Bray Wanderers’ O’Connor levels late but leaves early in eight -goal thriller

First half all about Bray striker Akinade

Kevin O’Connor equalised late on for of Bray Wanderers before getting his marching orders at Thomond Park. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho Kevin O’Connor equalised late on for of Bray Wanderers before getting his marching orders at Thomond Park. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho
Kevin O’Connor equalised late on for of Bray Wanderers before getting his marching orders at Thomond Park. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho Kevin O’Connor equalised late on for of Bray Wanderers before getting his marching orders at Thomond Park. Photograph: Cathal Noonan/Inpho
Cormac Liddy
Tue Jul 09 2013 - 22:40

Limerick FC 4
Bray Wanderers 4

This was an eight-goal thriller at Thomond Park with a dramatic ending as Bray Wanderers grabbed a late draw after leading for most of a game that had one red card, and six yellows.

Kevin O’Connor grabbed the last-ditch leveller for the visitors and then in the space of two added minutes he was shown two yellow cards which earned him the red.

The first half was all about Bray striker Ishmahil Akinade.

He scored his side’s two goals and in between picked up a yellow card as his side dominated and might have been better positioned than 2-1 in front at the interval.

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Akinade had his first after only six minutes when he was set up by John Mulroy who himself had an amazing miss after 13 minutes when he was one on one with Limerick goalkeeper Barry Ryan but shot wide.

That was a big let-off for Limerick and they escaped again after 36 minutes. This time Kieran Waters rounded Ryan and then hit the post.

Limerick managed to keep in touch thanks to a goal by Joe Gamble five minutes before the break. A Shane Tracey free thundered into Darren Quigley who could not retain possession and Gamble pounced.

Whatever manager Stuart Taylor said to his players during the interval it had immediate effect. After only four minutes Axel Bossekota headed to the Bray net following a corner by David O’Leary.

Limerick were now expected to push on and they carved out two great opportunities but each time the final pass failed to reach the target.

Akinade missed a great chance for his hat-trick when he headed into the side netting after 75 minutes but two minutes later Limerick fell behind for the third time when Ryan Coombes, with his first touch after he replaced Eoin Hyland, dispossessed Gamble and easily beat Ryan.

Once again Limerick hit back and Craig Curran’s shot took a wicked deflection to tie it up after 77 minutes.

Limerick were not finished and Curran looked to have snatched it for the home side until O’Connor’s late leveller from a Waters free.


LIMERICK FC: Ryan, Folan, Kelly, Williams, Gamble, O'Leary (Bradley 67), Rainsford, Tracey (Costelloe 71), Bossekota, Curran, Galbraith.
BRAY WANDERERS: Quigley, Webster, O'Connor (S), Hyland (Coombes 57), Earley, Doyle, Waters, O'Connor (K), Mulroy (Doyle 88), Dempsey, Zambra, Akinade (Byrne 85).
Attendance: 914.