Keats double helps City brush Bray aside

By Donncha Noonan | Photo: Kevin Barry Dorney

After an emphatic win last week against Treaty, City looked to extend their incredible run of form as promotion hopefuls Bray Wanderers came to town. City buried the game early, and ran out 2-0 winners to extend their run to eight consecutive clean sheets as well as seven consecutive wins.

Just the one change from Barry Robson for this one, with Fiacre Kelleher entering the side to replace Charlie Lyons.

As for Paul Heffernan, he stuck with the same team that had a nice 5-2 win over Longford last week.

It didn't take long for City to make amends on their poor first half from last Friday, as they took the lead after six minutes. A nice flick from Greg Bolger was cut out, with the ball falling to Cian Doyle. He tried to roll the ball back to Jimmy Corcoran, but it went straight to Ruairi Keating instead, who barreled in on goal and tucked the ball past Corcoran to give City an early goal.

City kept at it looking for a second, and almost got it eleven minutes later. A whipped free kick from Greg Bolger dropped slightly short, but found the head of Seani Maguire. Maguire got a lovely flicked header on the ball and directed it towards the bottom left corner, but Corcoran got down to keep the deficit at one.

Bray did have chances of their own, and tested Conor Brann in the forty-fifth minute. Conor Drinan made a crucial intervention to prevent a Bray counter, which made the ball come to Ifunanyachi Achara. He laid it back to Richard Ferizaj, who strode forward before unleashing a rocket towards goal, a shot which Conor Brann had to scramble to tip over the bar.

The visitors had another crack at City’s backline on the stroke of half time. Bray’s corner was cleared away, but only as far as Alain Kizenga. He looped it to Achara on the left side of the box, who hooked the ball over Conor Brann towards the far corner, but Brann managed to clammer back and unbelievably tip the ball around the post.

That was it for the first half action, as a fairly comfortable City went into the break a goal to the good.

It didn;t take City long to pick up from where they left off, as they doubled their lead in the fifty-second minute. Hans Mpongo skipped down the left wing and cut a ball across goal, which Ruairi Keating got to before being kicked by Declan Osagie. Keating took the penalty himself and buried it into the bottom right corner to grab his second of the day.

City could have had third in the fifty-ninth minute in outrageous fashion. Greg Bolger won the ball off the Bray midfield and burst away past the halfway line, before seeing Jimmy Corcoran off his line. Bolger floated an effort from way out over the keeper’s head, but Corcoran dove back and clawed the shot away, saving face.

The visitors weren't giving up though and tested Brann in the sixty-ninth minute. A long ball released Ryan Kelly down the left hand flank. He beat Niall O’Keeffe and Fiacre Kelleher before powering a shot at goal, one which Conor Brann reacted well to and pushed away.

They had one more go at a consolation goal in the fourth minute of additional time. Bray won a free kick on the edge of the box. It was Conor Knight who stepped up to take it, and he forced a brilliant stretched save from Conor Brann to tip the shot out for a corner.

That would be all for this one though, as City got out with a nice and comfortable 2-0 win. It wasn’t very difficult, as Bray were far from their best going forward. It didn't help that they lost star man Ben McCormack early on to injury, but they just weren't as potent when breaking forward as they have been at times this season. City did well in the first half to gain control early, something they haven't done too often this year, but it made it far easier to cruise to an easy win rather than having to dig for it.

My Man of the Match goes to Ruairi Keating. After really struggling at the start of the season, he has really come into his own as of recent with now seven goals in his last five, and showed it again with a top all-around performance. Not only did he bag two goals, but his hold up play was excellent and well deserving of man of the match.

It’s a big one next for City, as they look to turn over Cork rivals Cobh Ramblers at St Colman’s Park on Friday. As for Bray, they’ll look to get back to winning ways as they take on Athlone Town.