Cork City extend unbeaten streak but held to frustrating draw in Bray
Cork City's Conor Drinan celebrates with Darragh Crowley after scoring his sides goal against Bray Wanderers at the Carlisle Grounds. Picture: ©Inpho/Nick Elliott
An extension to the unbeaten run for Cork City, but a closing stretch to the game where they will be wondering how they couldn’t manage the win over Bray Wanderers.
The first half of the game at the Carlisle Grounds belonged to Bray, and their 1-0 lead at the interval reflected it. But the second half was where City shone. The visitors only needed eight minutes of second-half action on Friday evening to find their leveller.
Conor Drinan let fly from outside the box, found the top corner and got Barry Robson’s side back on level terms. But the pace slowed and intensity faded. Both sides had opportunities, but neither manage to forge ahead.
And then it all popped off in the final few minutes.
In 90th minute, Bray almost carved open a chance, only to lose possession at the final ball and fall victim to a City counter-attack. Seani Maguire launched an outrageous over-the-top through ball from well within his own half to send Keating through on goal. Somehow Jimmy Corcoran kept it out.
Keating would get another chance in added time, but to no avail. Then, in the 95th minute, it looked like City were about to do it again, and come from behind to win. Cillian Murphy weaved his way through Bray defenders, playing it out wide to Keating, who squared for Maguire.
The result was an uncharacteristic Maguire miskick, and Bray hung on. A point they deserved, no doubt. But one they can still call themselves fortunate to have held onto after such a frantic end to the contest.
The start to the game was far more lowkey. It was scrappy, both teams playing awkwardly and with plenty of errors. City’s early sloppiness in defence caused a few moments of concern, but goalkeeper Conor Brann bailed the visitors out on a couple of occasions.
When Tyreik Sammy wandered through one-on-one in the 18th minute, it looked as though the hosts would take the lead, but he completely miskicked his effort and City got away with it.
Two minutes later City almost had an opportunity when Joshua Fitzpatrick tried to pick out Maguire, but he couldn’t connect with the chance. On 22 minutes, Fitzpatrick was causing problems again, cannoning a strike from range off the post.
Bray were back on the attack moments later as Alain Kizenga did brilliantly to set up Richard Ferizaj with a perfectly weighted low cross. Ferizaj connected with it inside on six yard box but Brann got down to make a sensational save. But, four minutes later, City would be caught out.
Ben McCormack saw Conor Brann off his line, and thundered it from distance, lobbing the City netminder, only for his strike to come off the crossbar. Brann, desperately scrambling back, got tangled in the net and could only watch as Ifunanyachi Achara came streaming in to tap home with 28 minutes played.
Bray had a chance to double their advantage before the break after another excellent run from Kizenga, but he couldn't find the room to get a clean shot away, and City avoided a second blunder.
The visitors started the second half superbly, though. Fitzpatrick and Drinan both had chances in the first five minutes of the restart, and by the 53rd minute Cork City had their equaliser, Conor Drinan blasting one from way outside the box and straight into the top corner.
Following the goal though, City’s pressure faded.
Tyreik Sammy came close for Bray in the 71st minute, AJ Bridge had a free kick deflected wide in the 77th minute, but neither side did enough to trouble keepers, until the final few minutes when the heat rose.
Corcoran; Kizenga, Fagbemi, Osagie, O’Shea; Doyle, McCormack (Brennan 68); Nyembo (O’Neill 61), Ferizaj, Achara; Sammy.
Brann; Nevin, Lyons, Kelleher, Drinan; Crowley, Bolger (Bridge 75); Fitzpatrick (Keating 70), Murphy, Mpongo (Murray 87); Maguire.
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