SSE Airtricity League reporter Conor Clancy has tipped Harry Kenny's Bray Wanderers side to make a significant impression in the 2017 Premier Division season, ahead of the season opener against St. Patrick's Athletic tomorrow night... --------------
SSE Airtricity League reporter Conor Clancy has tipped Harry Kenny's Bray Wanderers side to make a significant impression in the 2017 Premier Division season, ahead of the season opener against St. Patrick's Athletic tomorrow night...
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After a disappointing start to the 2016 SSE Airtricity League season, Bray Wanderers’ form in the second half of the campaign was one of the most impressive in the country.
Before the season started, it looked as though Bray could be in for one of their better years. They had a relatively strong squad, and for once it seemed as though relegation wouldn’t be at the top of their list of concerns. Within weeks of things kicking off, their hopes and expectations crashed back down to normality with three losses in their opening three games, before battling to a 1-1 draw in Longford to pick up their first point of the season.
A shock 4-0 hammering of Sligo Rovers gave them their first league win of 2016 at the end of March, before they returned to old ways and would only win once more, at home to St. Patrick’s Athletic in April, before the beginning of July. By then, Mick Cooke had departed and been replaced by Harry Kenny, whose reign had not started as he would have hoped.
By the season’s end, however, the Wanderers sat comfortably in sixth place, and were, remarkably, closer in points to champions Dundalk than they were to Longford Town at the foot of the table.
The 3-0 win over Wexford Youths on July 2nd turned Bray’s fortunes around, and the Seagulls embarked on seven match unbeaten run before Cork City brought them back down to earth at Turners Cross. Bray would not be down for long though, and bounced back with five wins on the bounce. One more defeat would come at the hand of Finn Harps as the Wicklow men closed out the year with wins over Pat’s and Cork either side of a stalemate in Tallaght against Shamrock Rovers.
You could say the run was nothing more than a perfect storm that brewed at the Carlisle Grounds, but that would be remiss. Before the season kicked off, touting Bray for a mid-table finish wouldn’t have been ridiculous.
A strong squad was in place and has since been added to. The bar has been raised at the seaside and, in 2017, their ambitions are even higher.
Those key ingredients from last season’s shock run remain. Ger Pender, who broke a club record by scoring in five consecutive league games, has plenty of competition for a starting position with the arrival of Anthony Flood and Aaron Greene.
Dylan Connolly, one of the league’s best players last term, also stayed put at the seaside and signed a two-year contract despite rumours of interest from champions Dundalk.
Perhaps the most important contributing factor to the success last year was their defence. The Seagulls went five straight games without concession to start their impressive run last summer before finally conceding to a penalty in a 1-1 draw with Shamrock Rovers.
Conor Kenna and Tim Clancy had both signed to stay on with Bray for the coming campaign, but something of a meltdown in the Leinster Senior Cup defeat against St. Pat’s has left a cloud of uncertainty hanging over the latter with him being notably absent from the annual squad photo. Clancy, having carelessly conceded possession which resulted in a fourth goal being conceded, walked off the pitch leaving Harry Kenny in shock and with no choice but to bring on an unprepared Derek Foran.
Behind them, Peter Cherrie is also still at the Carlisle, who has been one of the Wanderers’ most important players since joining in 2015.
Between attack and defence, the midfield has also seen some quality additions. Gary McCabe made his return to the club after leaving Shamrock Rovers, while Keith Buckley has been brought in as well.
It will be interesting to see how Bray perform with a weight of expectation placed upon them. They are undoubtedly one of the most exciting prospects in the Premier Division this year, and a top-half finish should be the minimum aim for Kenny, with an outside shot at breaking into the top three not looking too far out of reach.
