Bray Wanderers 1 Rovers 0

Rovers crash out of the League Cup

The Hoops poor run of form continued tonight in the Carlisle Grounds when they were dumped out of the Eircom League Cup after conceding an early goal. After just four minutes Barry Ferguson looked like he lost the flight of the ball in the glare of the late evening sunshine and this enabled Mulroy to get in behind the defence and he scored after his first attempt was blocked by Coleman.

The concession of the early goal rattled the Hoops and they struggled to get any pattern into their play. Amond and Baker combined in the 13th minute inside the area but Baker dragged his effort across goal. A Murphy cross in the 24th minute was fumbled by the Bray 'keeper but their was no-one on hand to take advantage.

Murphy again played a through ball in the 31st minute that caused some panic in the home defence as Sean O'Connor and Baker threatened and the ball fell to Rice just outside the area but his shot was just off target. Baker tried his luck from long range on 34 minutes and two minutes later Sean O'Connor sent Amond in on the right-hand side of the box but his low cross was cleared.

O'Connor in the Bray goal just held Danny O'Connors long range effort in the 38th minute before an Amond shot was deflected for a corner. A Danny O'Connor header from a Murphy corner caused some problems in front of goal but Bray cleared the danger.

Rovers started the second half brightly with Sean O'Connor heading a Murphy cross that the Bray 'keeper claimed easily. Murphy had a shot deflected just over the bar on 51 minutes before Baker made some space for himself inside the box but then fired his shot well wide. On 57 minutes Amond headed Ger O'Briens cross over the bar.

Ferguson made a good defensive header in front of his own goal on 65 minutes before Maguire won a good header in the Bray area from a free-kick but there was no Hoops player to take advantage. In the 75th minute a Sean O'Connor cross was flicked on to sub Eoin Doyle but he couldn't control the ball inside the area.

As the game entered the final five minutes an O'Brien cross found Doyle in front of goal but he could only head straight at the Bray 'keeper. A minute later a Sean O'Connor corner was headed down at the back post by Maguire but the Bray 'keeper claimed the ball at the second attempt. Bray had Duggan sent-off in the 89th minute for a second Yellow card before Baker got down the right to send in a cross that Doyle headed towards goal but O'Connor was well placed to save. Deep into added-on time Ger O'Brien fired over from the edge of the area.