Bray Wanderers V Dundalk | Fri 13 Apr | 7:45pm | Carlisle Grounds

[Ezeikial]

What looked like a fairly straight-forward game now has the potential to turn into a banana skin, with Bray intending to have a new manager in place before Friday. Paul Doolin, Roddy Collins and Martin Russell have all been mentioned as possibilities and a new manager in place could provoke a more focused and motivated performance from the players

As always, Stephen Kenny will be looking to ensure there is no complacency. There is a potentially interesting game ahead on Friday night - nothing less than 3 points is required.

[Ezeikial]

Looking at Bray's recent results, it is really astonishing how poor they have been:

0-5 St Pats Ath
0-4 Cork
0-3 Shelbourne (EA Sports Cup)
1-2 Bohs
1-5 Derry

In the last 5 games - 19 goals conceded with only 2 scored!

When you consider the quality of their defensive performance in Oriel Park in the first game and the fact that they have experienced players like Conor Kenna, Hugh Douglas, John Sullivan, Jake Kelly, Paul O'Conor, Gary McCabe, Aaron Greene along with other promising players like Aaron Dillon, Ronan Coughlan, Daniel McKenna and Daniel Kelly it is obvious that there is something amiss other than simply the quality of the players available.

A new manager - or even just the departure of the last one - could be what they need to get a new impetus into their season.

No matter what happens on the managerial front between now and Friday, a strong start and an early goal would go a long way to resolving the tie.

[Ezeikial]

Bray Wanderers have appointed Graham Kelly as caretaker manager for the foreseeable future. Graham has been a member of the coaching staff since 2016.

We would like to thank Graham for taking on this difficult task at short notice

https://twitter.com/BrayWanderers/statu ... 6231856128

[Louth4sam]

'Difficult task'. Talk about an understatement

[mike]

Agreed, but 'difficult task' is a very strange choice of words from an official club communication, its more something you would read from an external source referring to the job not from within.

'Challenging' might have read a little better, but back to the actual match, we need to make sure come away with 3 points and are water tight at the back. The new man even if in temporary charge will have nothing to lose.

[dell]

Exactly my thoughts when i saw the tweet! you'd expect a comment like taking on the challange, but 'this difficult task'? As said above there is a decent group of players there for a manager. Almost like they've given up.

[Ezeikial]

Newly announced Bray Caretaker Manager to be replaced before Friday?

Martin Russell is set to be appointed Bray Wanderers manager in time for Friday’s clash with league leaders Dundalk.

That’s despite the Seagulls naming Graham Kelly as caretaker boss earlier this afternoon.

https://www.irishmirror.ie/sport/soccer ... w-12338742

[Ezeikial]

Team news

Karolis Chvedukas remains sidelined with an ankle problem, Dean Jarvis has a calf problem and Gary Rogers is still recovering from the calf tear he suffered against Bohemians a fortnight ago however there is some good news as Brian Gartland returns to contention after playing 120 minutes on Monday evening against St. Patrick’s Athletic. Sean Hoare may return after a groin problem

http://www.dundalkfc.com/team-news-vs-bray-wanderers-6/

[Ezeikial]

In my opinion, the two main questions are who will partner Daniel Cleary and whether Krisztián Adorján or Ronan Murray will start at 10.

If Sean Hoare is sufficiently recovered from his groin injury he should get the call. Otherwise its a straight call between Brian Gartland and Stephen Folan

Krisztián Adorján is the man in possession at no 10, but Ronan Murray will be itching to get in after getting his first competitive goal on Monday against St Pats. A long shot could be Dylan Connolly coming in on the wing with Jamie McGrath moving to no 10.

I doubt that there is a significant difference in our strength of our starting line-up irrespective of the calls SK makes

My prediction

---------------------Sava------------------
Gannon-----Cleary----Hoare----Massey
-------------Shields----Benson-----------
McGrath---------Adorjan---------Duffy
--------------------Hoban-----------------

Any thoughts?

[Ezeikial]

FOLAN AIMING FOR WIN IN BRAY

Dundalk centre-half Stephen Folan was pleased to get through to the EA SPORTS Cup quarter-finals on Monday evening but admitted to dundalkfc.com that the performance could have been better in Inchicore.

“It was good for players like myself who needed the game time and we showed a good bit of character after falling behind twice to come back to level it. 3-2 down and then 4-3 to come back twice. Some of us aren’t happy with how we played individually and as a team but we haven’t played together in so long.

The Galway man is looking forward to the trip to Bray tomorrow evening but is anticipating another league game and knows that they have a lot of players who have quality despite their current league predicament.

More at
http://www.dundalkfc.com/folan-aiming-win-bray/

MURRAY WARY OF BRAY THREAT

Murray made his return to action after an ankle injury on Monday evening and while he was disappointed with the goals conceded, overall he was happy to get through to the last 8 and on a personal level he netted his first competitive goal, something he is hoping that will start a goal rush for him.

More at
http://www.dundalkfc.com/murray-wary-bray-threat/

[Ezeikial]

GARTLAND HAPPY WITH WORKOUT

“I was worried that I wasn’t going to last 90 minutes so to last two hours and feeling good I was delighted with that work out.”

We travel to Bray on Friday and Gartland is wary of the threat that they pose and conceded that the scoreless draw on the opening night looks like ‘two points dropped’ however insists the Lilywhites are fully focused on themselves and wants three points to take into the match in Limerick on Tuesday evening.

“We got them on the first day of the season and they were full of beans that night. They managed to stop us and from our point of view, it’s two points dropped considering how things have gone on since. We are just hoping that with the manager gone they get the bounce or the kick back from it like teams do.

More at
http://www.dundalkfc.com/gartland-happy-workout/

I presume he meant
"We are just hoping that with the manager gone they don't get the bounce or the kick back from it like teams do"

[Louth4sam]

---------------------Sava------------------
Gannon-----Cleary----Hoare----Massey
-------------Shields----Benson-----------
McGrath---------Adorjan---------Duffy
--------------------Hoban-----------------

Any thoughts?

Apart from goalkeeper that's our strongest eleven currently. McGrath is wasted on the wing but he's the best player we have available in that position.

Plenty of players will be pushing for starts though. And we could easily see one or two others establishing themselves in the starting lineup

[mike]

---------------------Sava------------------
Gannon-----Cleary----Hoare----Massey
-------------Shields----Benson-----------
McGrath---------Adorjan---------Duffy
--------------------Hoban-----------------

Any thoughts?

Apart from goalkeeper that's our strongest eleven currently. McGrath is wasted on the wing but he's the best player we have available in that position.

Plenty of players will be pushing for starts though. And we could easily see one or two others establishing themselves in the starting lineup

Def agree it looks like our strongest team at the minute, and I`d also consider the 8 in bold to be almost first choice now at this stage, I definitely think Hoare is ahead of Folan on who to partner Cleary.

However with so many games coming up after Bray, Tues away to Limerick, Fri at home to Derry, Fri 27 away to Cork, then the following Mon (30th) home to Pats, we will need everyone and will certainly need to freshen up the central MF for one key area.

[seand]

McaGrath is first choice too, and obviously Rogers. That really only leaves attacking midfield up for grabs, at the moment.

[Ezeikial]

[

However with so many games coming up after Bray, Tues away to Limerick, Fri at home to Derry, Fri 27 away to Cork, then the following Mon (30th) home to Pats, we will need everyone and will certainly need to freshen up the central MF for one key area.

SK has a history of making minimal changes, unless enforced, to the starting line up.

His habit of using all 3 sub's between 60 - 75 mins is probable the nearest we will come to " freshen up the central midfield " unless injury, suspension or loss of form dictates