Bray Wanderers 1 Bohemians 2
For the second time this season, Dinny Corcoran out-gunned Bray as Bohs left the seaside with all three Premier Division points.
Having come from 2-0 down when the teams met at Dalymount Park at the start of March, the forward netted twice in the 3-2 comeback victory.
The 28-year-old repeated that feat last night at the Carlisle Grounds with another double to somewhat ease their relegation worries.
But they also needed a superb display by goalkeeper Shane Supple – who was clearly injured – to see off the Wicklow side as Keith Long’s charges withstood a second-half onslaught.
Wanderers dropped to third in the charts after the defeat after they had broken the deadlock in the 20th minute.
Kevin Lynch’s deep delivery was headed back across cross by skipper Conor Kenna. It was only cleared to Dylan Connolly who drove a volley into the ground back into the danger area. And the unmarked Tim Clancy headed in his second of the campaign from six-yards.
But the visitors hit to level in the 28th minute. From the left flank, Keith Ward floated a cross which dropped beyond Kenna. Corcoran controlled with his chest and expertly placed a half volley across Peter Cherrie close in with the ball going in of the far upright.
Remarkably, it was their first league goal on the road since Dan Byrne netted against Drogheda back in late March.
The Phibsboro outfit then took the lead in first half stoppage time through Corcoran’s seventh Premier score of 2017.
Former Bray man Paddy Kavanagh jinked in off the left wing and played a slide rule pass to release Ward. He dinked past the on-rushing Cherrie, Referee Jim McKell played advantage instead of awarding a penalty with Corcoran turning the ball in from two yards out.
BRAY WANDERERS: Cherrie; Buckley, Kenna, Clancy (Kehoe, 84 mins), Lynch; Sullivan, Ryan Brennan; Marks (Flood, 61 mins), Moore (Ger Pender, 76 mins), Connolly; Greene.
BOHEMIANS: Supple; Derek Pender, Byrne, Cornwall, Morris; Sule (Hayes 90+3 mins); Poynton (Fitzgerald, 71 mins), Oscar Brennan, Ward (Gorman, 84 mins), Kavanagh; Corcoran.
Referee: Jim McKell (Tipperary).
Galway United 2 Finn Harps 1
Vinny Faherty’s injury-time strike gave Galway United a crucial three points in their fight to avoid the drop at Eamonn Deacy Park.
Barry Molloy’s first-half goal looked to have given Harps the win, but Ronan Murray’s penalty 16 minutes from time levelled matters, before substitute Faherty headed the winner in the 92nd minute.
In the battle of the league’s bottom two teams, Molloy’s shot somehow found the net in the 28th minute via a post and United goalkeeper Conor Winn, and for long periods it seemed as that would be the difference between the teams.
Winn then came to his side’s rescue early in the second half on three occasions, and a share of the spoils seemed certain after Murray’s penalty following Danny Morrissey’s foul on David Cawley.
Harps manager Ollie Horgan was sent off seven minutes from the end, but worse was to come for the Donegal men as Faherty headed Marc Ludden’s cross over Ciarán Gallagher.
GALWAY UNITED: Winn; Grace, Folan (Sinnott, 93 mins), Ludden; Horgan (capt), Shanahan (Melody, 60 mins), Holohan, Cawley, Devaney; Murray, Cunningham (Faherty, 60 mins).
FINN HARPS: Gallagher; McNulty, Boyle, Cantwell, Coll (capt); McAleer (Funston, 86 mins), Houston, Harkin, McCourt (Morrissey, 34 mins), Molloy (Bonner, 63 mins); O'Connor.
Referee: Ray Matthews (Westmeath).
St Patrick’s Athletic 1 Sligo Rovers 1
Michael Leahy earned Sligo Rovers a fully deserved point as they came from behind against St Patrick’s at Richmond Park.
Despite starting the better with Jonah Ayunga having a shot saved by Conor O’Malley and then a drive cleared off the line by Lee Desmond, Sligo fell behind against the run of play on 32 minutes.
St Pat’s skipper Ian Bermingham whipped in a cross from the left and Christy Fagan came alive to plant a glancing header into the far corner of the net for his second goal of the season.
In a lively second half, Sligo’s Liam Martin hit the crossbar on 81 minutes before O’Malley made a terrific one-handed save to deprive Rovers’ skipper John Russell’s follow-up.
But from the resulting corner taken by Regan Donelon, central defender Leahy rose to power home a header to give the Sligo no more than they warranted.
ST PATRICK'S ATHLETIC: O'Malley; Barker, Peers (Cregg, h/t), Feely, Birmingham; Desmond, Kelly (Verdon, 90 mins), C Byrne, Markey, K. Byrne; Fagan (Lunney, 81 mins).
SLIGO ROVERS: Schlingermann; Boylan, Callan-McFadden, Leahy, Donelon; Russell; Sadlier, Kenny, Martin; Place (Walsh, 90 mins); Ayunga.
Referee: Paul Tuite (Dublin).
