Treaty United suffer heartbreaking defeat to Bray Wanderers in SSE Airtricity League

TEN-MAN Treaty United suffered a heartbreaking 3-2 defeat away to Bray in the SSE Airtricity League First Division on Friday night.

Having been harshly reduced to ten men in the twenty-fifth minute and withstanding a Bray onslaught, it looked as if the Treaty men may have secured a draw against their playoff rivals. However, with the last kick of the game, Richard Ferizaj broke Treaty hearts in a five-goal thriller in the Carlisle grounds.

Cian Doyle had the game's first chance, going close for the Seagulls in the fourth minute. Doyle had Corey Chambers scrambling moments later as his goal-bound shot was deflected just wide of the left-hand upright.

On the quarter-hour mark, the Shannonsiders found the net largely against the run of play as Mark Byrne and Patrick Ferry combined in a swift breakaway. Byrne fed the ball to Ferry, who squared it back to him to easily stroke the ball into the empty net.

However, nine minutes later the visitors were dealt a hammer blow as Steven Healy received his marching order. Billy O’Neill made a driving run from deep before colliding with Healy.

Referee Oliver Morandeemed it a goal-scoring opportunity and sent off the Treaty midfielder. As the visitors retreated, Bray began to pile on the pressure. Danu Kinsella Bishop had a number of chances, forcing a spectacular save from Chambers in the twenty-ninth minute.

He went close again six minutes later, flashing his effort inches wide. Five minutes from halftime Bray looked certain to equalise as a looping cross from O’Neill landed to Jamie Duggan, who ghosted in at the far post but somehow glanced his effort off
target.

Within ninety seconds of the restart, the Seagulls found their equaliser as Conor Knight, brother of Republic of Ireland international Jason, found the net spectacularly. A dangerous free kick on the edge of the box was blocked by the wall; however, the rebound fell kindly to Knight, who rifled his volley into the bottom corner.

Five minutes later Bray again somehow failed not to score, this time through Doyle. Another looping cross bounced in front of Chambers, and the unmarked Doyle failed to turn his effort goalward from just a yard out.

In the seventieth minute, Doyle tried his luck again, this time forcing a diving save from Chambers with his curling snapshot destined for the top right corner. Two minutes later Colin Conroy went close to giving the visitors the lead with their first
attack of the half. Fionn Doherty did superbly to keep the ball in on the end line and delivered a pass to the onrushing Conroy, but his driven effort from range went an inch wide of the upright.

Fifteen minutes from time, Cian Curtis gave Bray a deserved second goal as he latched onto the end of a clipped Cian Doyle ball forward before deftly chipping his effort over the onrushing Chambers.

But five minutes later, Treaty were back on level terms. Conroy played a delightful ball to Trpimir Vrljcak, who flicked the ball into the path of Joe Hanson, and the Canadian unleashed a thunderbolt into the roof of the Bray net.

As it looked as if the Shannonsiders had secured a hard-won point, treaty hearts were broken. With the last play of the game, a Justin Ferizaj shot deflected off of his brother Richard, and the ball landed into the back of the net as withered. Treaty men fell to the ground in agony.

Next up for the Shannonsiders is a meeting with Munster rivals Kerry FC in the Markets field on Monday evening, followed by a trip to Longford next Friday. Meanwhile Bray will take on Finn Harps and Cobh.

Bray Wanderers: Jimmy Corcoran, Max Murphy, Killian Cantwell, Jamie Duggan, Paul Murphy, Jason Knight (Justin Ferizaj 64), Rhys Bartley (Guillermo Amirall 64), Sean Brennan (Richard Ferizaj 84), Cian Doyle, Danu Kinsella Bishop (Cian Curtis 45), Billy O’Neill.

Treaty United: Corey Chambers, Ben Lynch, Lee Devitt, Robbie Lynch, Evan O’Connor, Colin Conroy, Mark Walsh (Lee Lynch 78), Steven Healy, Mark Byrne (Trpimir Vrljicak 58), Patrick Ferry (Fionn Doherty 58), Connor Wilson (Joe Hanson 58).

Referee: Oliver Moran.