Saturday 7th April 2007, 12:49 am
6th April 2007
Bray Wanderers 0
Shamrock Rovers 2
Tadhg Purcell 7, 80
Carlisle Grounds
Shamrock Rovers bounced back from their wrenching defeat to Dublin rivals Bohemians during the week by securing a 2-0 win on their visit to Bray Wanderers in Friday's early game. Tadhg Purcell struck inside the opening and closing ten minutes to give the Hoops all three points.
Bray were left on the back foot from the seventh minute as Rovers pounced on an error in the Seagulls' defence. Drek Pender blocked down Gary Cronin's attempted clearance and Purcell nipped in to slot home past Steve Williams for the opening goal.
Bray were struggling to bounce back and Rovers could have extended their lead after the hour if Ger Rowe's header had been a little lower. Bray almost gained a slice of good fortune in the closing twenty minutes as Rovers' Barry Ferguson came dangerously close to putting the ball past his own keeper Barry Murphy under pressure.
More dawdling in the Bray defence killed off the home side's chances in the 80th minute. Stephen Gough lost the ball to Purcell and the Rovers man ran in to score his second of the day to wrap up the win.
Bray Wanderers : Williams, Gough, Delaney, Derek Tyrrell, Cronin (Georgescu 67), Cawley, Caffrey, Duggan, David Tyrrell, O'Shea (Deans 83), Dunphy.
Shamrock Rovers : Murphy, G O'Brien, Ferguson, Ryan, Clarke, Pender (Cassidy 79), E McGill, Barrett, D McGill, Purcell, Rowe.