Bray Wanderers 1...Shelbourne 5: A potentially intriguing match was comfortably won by Shelbourne who simply had too much in most departments for a Bray side that lacked invention and, sadly, their renowned battling spirit. Paul Buttner reports from the Carlisle Grounds
Fresh from their 3-1 win over UCD at Belfield on Friday night, Pat Fenlon's champions ran the first half and should have been more than one goal to the good at the break.
That came on 29 minutes when Richie Baker skipped into the area to pull the ball back for Jim Crawford to shoot home from close range.
Several more chances - and justifiable claims for a penalty - were missed by a rampant Shelbourne before half-time as a surprisingly defensive Bray really struggled to make a match of it.
Ironically, Bray did get back into the game with an equaliser on 59 minutes; Jason Byrne heading home after great work by Phil Keogh and Eddie Gormley, their best move of the game.
Parity lasted just four minutes, however, with Shelbourne restoring their lead when Wes Houlihan's cross was met by central defender Barry Prenderville, who scored with a diving header.
The game was then up for Bray on 71 minutes. Gormley was sent off for handling Stuart Byrne's goal-bound header on the line and David Crawley blasted the penalty past Matt Gregg.
The hardworking Byrne then added the fourth when drilling home Houlihan's pull-back on 83 minutes before Mark Roberts completed the rout a minute from time.
It was just the tonic Shelbourne wanted before Friday night's tussle of the champions when St Patrick's Athletic visit Tolka Park.
"We again played really well," said Fenlon. "It's down to the players. I've said all along that hard work will be rewarded and, as against UCD last Friday, it was again today.
"We've chalked up a few goals now and we're really looking forward to Friday night."
Bray manager Pat Devlin had no complaints after his side had been well beaten. "We were abysmal," said Devlin. "It was an horrendous display. But I have to say it was never a penalty and a sending off and that did have a bearing on the remainder of the game.
"Even before then we were so, so disappointing I couldn't believe it."
BRAY WANDERERS: Gregg; Britton, Lynch (O'Connor 34 mins), Charles, Tresson, Keogh; Long (Fox 74 mins.), Morgan (Ryan 74 mins.), Fox, Gormley; Byrne.
SHELBOURNE: Bennion; Heary, McCarthy, Prenderville, Crawley; R. Baker, S. Byrne, Crawford, Cahill; Houlihan, Geoghegan (Roberts 13 mins).
Referee: J McDermott (Dublin).
