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Date Time League Season
8 April 2022 7:45 pm LOI Men's First Division 2022

Match Report

Bray and Treaty play out scoreless draw

A rough first-half and slow-burning second eventually saw the spoils shared between Bray Wanderers and Treaty United in the battle of two First Division play-off hopefuls at the Carlisle Grounds.

Both sides struggled to retain possession for sustained periods, with incisiveness and cohesion lacking in a stop-start affair as referee Oliver Moran was happy blowing his whistle where others might've let play flow.

This slower pace invited soft fouls and not much genuine goalmouth action.

While it proved fleeting, Treaty began the second-half in the ascendancy and should have scored.  

It wasn't a surprise the game's best chance fell to Enda Curran, after Monday's matchwinner Dean George left Jack Hudson for dead and floated a great ball into the area. Unmarked and with only goalkeeper Stephen McGuinness to beat, he managed to head over the bar from close-range.

Shortly afterwards, Stephen Christopher had a genuine penalty appeal waved away by the officials after jinking past two and being the latest to exploit the hosts' right-hand side. Bodychecked by Daniel Blackbyrne, a free-kick on the edge of the area was awarded - much to Bray's relief.

While Paul Fox and Keith Dalton were disciplined defensively, tough to bypass, the same couldn't be said about the opposite flank. Buoyed by their loud travelling fans, Treaty persisted with wing play but it was the hosts who almost stole the show late on.

As though it suddenly dawned on them this game was still there for the taking, Bray fashioned two quick-fire opportunities and more composure would've seen them break the deadlock themselves.  

First, Darragh Lynch's twinkle toes from the substitutes' bench were key as he expertly teed up Robert Manley. Jack Brady was equal to it, making a strong diving stop to keep the scores goalless.

Then, Brady's suspect positioning made him look like a sitting duck at his near post. Threaded through by Dean Zambra, Lynch beat the offside trap but curled his own effort into the side netting.

Treaty threatened a late winner with multiple stoppage-time corners, but failed to execute anything of note. It typified a frustrating, often ponderous encounter that will quickly be forgotten.

Bray Wanderers

1Stephen McGuinness Goalkeeper
2Daniel Blackbyrne Defender
3Kevin Knight Defender
12Jack Hudson Defender
7Keith Dalton 21 Midfielder
10Kieran Marty Waters 24 Forward
11Paul Fox Midfielder 90'
27Dean Zambra Midfielder
27Callum Thompson Midfielder
28Darragh Livingston Midfielder
9Rob Manley Forward 37'
25Michael Kelly Goalkeeper
2Enda Douglas Defender
18Zak O’Neill Midfielder
8Karl Manahan Forward
19Vilius Labutis Midfielder
19Dean Casey Midfielder
21Conor Knight 7 Midfielder
24Darragh Lynch 10 Forward

Treaty Utd

1Jack Brady Goalkeeper
2Charlie Fleming Defender
32Joe Gorman Defender
3Marc Ludden Defender
25Mark Walsh Midfielder
22Matt Keane 17 Defender, Midfielder
6Callum McNamara Midfielder
8Joe Collins 12 Midfielder 38'
11Stephen Christopher Midfielder
19Enda Curran 16 Forward 52'
10Dean George 44 Forward
13Conor Winn Goalkeeper
12Lee Devitt 8 Midfielder 83'
16William Armshaw 19 Midfielder
17Joel Coustrain 22 Midfielder
20Martin Coughlan Midfielder
21Colin Conroy Midfielder
27Jack Arra Forward
38Scott Kirkland Midfielder
44Jack Lynch 10 Defender
  • Although there wasn't any goals to report, this was still a frantic finish. Thanks for joining me, I've been Mosope Ominiyi, stay tuned to the site for the match report and more coverage across the grounds tonight shortly.

  • 94'

    FULL-TIME! Bray Wanderers 0-0 Treaty United - Disappointing result for both, all things considered, though the finale was considerably stronger than the opening sequence. Scrappy and with spurned chances, the visitors will feel rueful.

  • 90'

    Four minutes of stoppage-time added on here, Treaty still look most likely to score...

  • 86'

    In amongst the goalmouth action at both ends, Lee Devitt was booked.

  • 85'

    It's just typical, isn't it? After a slow-burning game, this match is still up for grabs and finally both are playing with the urgency we expected much earlier. Lynch has two bites at the cherry in the box, both blocked, as Bray looked to snatch something from a goalmouth scramble.

  • 81'

    CHANCE! Threaded through by Dean Zambra, Lynch bends his run and stays onside but curls an effort into the side netting! Just like Manley, he too should've done better there...

  • 78'

    SAVE! Just as the pitchside commentators are criticising Bray's lack of urgency, Manley is set through on-goal by the twinkle toes of sub Darragh Lynch but Jack Brady makes a diving stop to his left!

  • 76'

    Another change for the visitors, this time it's Curran who is hooked and he'll be haunted by that miss tonight if they don't go on to win this now. William Armshaw replaces him, will we get a late winner?

  • 71'

    \"Bray need a spell of play with the ball, to get their heads together again,\" says my pitchside commentator. If anyone\'s to score the first goal here... it\'d surely be the visitors now.

  • 69'

    First bit of action for Lynch, is to send a probing ball across the face of goal down the right-hand side... unconvincingly dealt with by the hosts, as the ball trickles out for a corner.

  • 66'

    Dean George, who created that brilliant goalscoring opportunity for Curran, is now off too. On comes Jack Lynch, who has been waiting a while to return!

  • 65'

    Waters, struggling with a knock in the final stages of the first-half, evidently couldn't continue.

  • 65'

    Also... I didn't notice him coming on in the madness that precluded Curran's big miss earlier, but Darragh Lynch replaced Kieran Waters in a half-time change for Bray earlier.

  • 64'

    Dalton's heavy touch puts ice on a promising attack for the hosts, who could've snatched an opener themselves just now had he adopted more control inside the area. Easier said than done, mind.

  • 62'

    You'd think Treaty were at home, such is the relative ease at which they're now attacking down the left-hand side - where their travelling fans are sitting closest. Christopher and Ludden exchange passes, the latter's delivery into the area is too close to goalkeeper McGuinness who smothers the danger.

  • 60'

    Ironic jeers rain down on Blackbyrne, who should've given away a penalty ten minutes ago, after he fails to control a crossfield pass and Bray are so far reduced to speculative efforts from distance.

  • 57'

    Good defending on display by Fox as Treaty are cranking up the pressure, they\'ve started this second-half much better.

  • 52'

    Curran's forgettable few minutes continues as he is booked for committing an overzealous aerial challenge from the subsequent free-kick.

  • 50'

    APPEAL! Treaty's Stephen Christopher jinks past two players on a surging run down the flank before getting bodychecked by Blackbyrne, referee waves away genuine penalty appeals - and gives a free-kick on the edge.

  • 47'

    CHANCE! George beats Hudson and whips a great ball into the area for top goalscorer Enda Curran... but he heads over from close-range! Should've been 1-0 to the visitors.

  • 46'

    Double substitution for the visitors: Lee Devitt and Joel Coustrain on for a booked Joe Collins and Matt Keane.

  • 45'

    Moments away from the second-half starting, as the two teams are back out and awaiting the restart.

  • 45'

    Callum Thompson has been Bray's only true bright spark and even he has been on the periphery for large periods, one real opportunity wasted as he ran out of room after leaving Ludden for dead down the wing.

  • 45'

    HALF-TIME! Fox fires over from a Bray Wanderers free-kick, and that's the last true action of what has been a rough half to watch in truth.

  • 43'

    Treaty midfielder Collins was also booked shortly after Manley, having lost out in a 50-50 challenge with Fox on the far side.

  • 42'

    Bray have a promising opportunity from an inswinging corner delivery, but it's ultimately come to nothing as the referee correctly penalises them for being too handsy in the box.

  • 37'

    First booking of the game, and it's arguably soft but one all the same for Robert Manley.

  • 32'

    Treaty with two promising passages of play in quick succession, both fizzle out for different reasons. The first is a hopeful Matthew Keane cross, but there's no support in the box. The second is well intercepted by Paul Fox.

  • 29'

    Dalton swings a dangerous ball into the area, which is again well defended by Treaty's backline and they get a free-kick too - can't see what exactly for, perhaps offside or something off-the-ball?

  • 27'

    "This game is lacking a wee bit of quality," says one of my commentators. That's an understatement. Another needless foul is rightly penalised by referee Oliver Moran and the game resumes once more.

  • 24'

    After a sloppy free-kick is given away, an inswinging delivery creates indecision in the box and Treaty find themselves with a corner... Successive crosses are subsequently dealt with, as Bray clear their lines.

  • 21'

    Bray move the ball a little quicker, then just as Thompson flirts with the possibility of taking on his man down the flank, they recycle backwards again. Eventually an over-the-top pass is dealt with by Gorman, and goalkeeper Brady claims the loose ball.

  • 19'

    For what it's worth, this wouldn't be a surprise to anyone who read my preview earlier today. There have been three goals in three previous H2H meetings between the pair and from the first 20 minutes or so here, you can see why.

  • 16'

    A lot of loose passes, possession being wasted in promising areas or needlessly recycled by both teams. Neither team is defending particularly well to justify this level of defensive interventions at this stage...

  • 13'

    Also, you know those travelling fans singing to start the game? Either they've been told to quiet down, or they've decided to lower the volume themselves. They need something to shout about!

  • 11'

    Bray forward Robert Manley delivers an inviting ball towards the far post, but there are no alert teammates on hand to meet it. That move kinda typifies what has been a slow-burning start to this affair.

  • 8'

    Over! Enda Curran, rested late on with this game in mind, fires over on the edge of the area as Treaty try their luck.

  • 6'

    There are open spaces aplenty for both teams to exploit - that much they\'re aware of - though the execution on their final ball is lacking so far. Understandable, but it can\'t last long if either side wants to assert themselves here.

  • 5'

    Dean George, who scored twice off the bench against Athlone on Monday, does well to hold up play after a hopeful long ball forward. He scans for support but once passing into space, the ball is sloppily given away.

  • 2'

    Positive start from the hosts, fizzing a few dangerous balls into the box which are narrowly avoided by Treaty - whose travelling fans are in full voice to start this encounter.

  • Brief delay as the referee requests a retake of the kick-off, but eventually we're underway!

  • It's a beautiful sunny evening for football, makes you wish you were playing yourself. Kick-off moments away.

  • As for Treaty United, Jack Lynch is being highlighted on their social media channels as the 24-year-old centre-back returns to a matchday squad for the first time in 152 days.

  • Keith Dalton, Kieran Marty Waters and Darragh Levingston all come into the Bray starting eleven tonight, from the side who drew 1-1 away at Athlone Town last time out.

  • Speaking of...

  • Good evening everyone and welcome to live text commentary as Bray Wanderers host Treaty United in Ireland's First Division tonight. Mosope Ominiyi here with you, team news is shortly upon us.

Past Meetings

(Round 19)
1 - 0
LOI Men's First Division
Carlisle Grounds

Bray Wanderers v Treaty United

(Round 10)
2 - 0
LOI Men's First Division
Jackman Park

Treaty United v Bray Wanderers

(Round 1)
0 - 0
LOI Men's First Division
Carlisle Grounds

Bray Wanderers v Treaty United

Ground

Carlisle Grounds
Carlisle Grounds, Seapoint Road, Bray No 2, The Municipal District of Bray, County Wicklow, Leinster, A98 T9D9, Ireland

Mosope Ominiyi is a freelance sports journalist and sub-editor with over a decade's worth of experience, having graduated in 2020 with a BA Hons degree at Staffordshire University. His work has appeared in The Times, MailOnline and Sportskeeda, among other platforms.