Christy Fagan’s brace helps champions see off battling Bray

St Patrick's Athletic 3 (C Forrester 14, C Fagan 53, 73)

Bray Wanderers 2 (J Kelly 41, 77)

A brace from leading league scorer Christy Fagan helped champions St Pat’s secure all three points against a Bray side that made them work very hard at Richmond Park.

St Pat’s had the better start of the two sides with Conan Byrne clipping the top of the crossbar directly from a corner kick on three minutes. James Chambers then forced Bray goalkeeper Stephen McGuinness into action again to save a shot from 15 yards, on nine minutes.

Pat’s kept up the intense early pressure and took the lead on 14 minutes. Chambers’ long ball out to the wing found Byrne who played a brilliant low pass across the face of goal to Chris Forrester who finished with aplomb past McGuinness.

Byrne had a chance to double Pat’s lead on 32 minutes when he whipped in a ferocious shot from distance but McGuinness saw the danger well in advance and at full stretch made a fine save.

An equaliser

Slack St Pat’s defending after a David Cassidy ball down the wing allowed former St Pat’s man Jake Kelly to slide in an equaliser past home goalkeeper Brendan Clarke on 41 minutes. Shane O’Neill then had the opportunity to put Bray in front less than 60 seconds later but he fired straight at Clarke.

St Pat’s regained the lead after 53 minutes when Fagan rose high and unchallenged in the box to meet Chambers’ cross and head home.

The woodwork then prevented Pat’s increasing their lead on 67 when Chambers did well to connect with Ian Bermingham’s deep ball only to see his header smash off the crossbar.

Fagan, with his 15th league goal of the campaign, put Pat’s 3-1 up on 73 minutes with a fine finish into the bottom right corner before Kelly gave Bray hope with his second of the night – a stunning free kick on 77 minutes. But Pat’s stood strong and held on for the vital win.

ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: Clarke; Bermingham, O'Brien, Foran, McCormack; Forrester (Quigley 69 mins), Bolger Chambers, Brennan (Fahey 72 mins), Byrne; Fagan (Lynch 84 mins).

BRAY WANDERERS: McGuinness; Maloney, O'Connor, McGill, Hanlon; O'Neill (Scully 60 mins), G Kelly, Zambra, Cassidy; Akinade, J Kelly. [/Ž] Clarke; Bermingham, O'Brien, Foran, McCormack; Forrester (Quigley 69 mins), Bolger Chambers, Brennan (Fahey 72 mins), Byrne; Fagan (Lynch 84 mins).