Bray Football | Bray, Wicklow & Leinster Soccer Games, Players & Results

Pep Guardiola will be hoping to lead Manchester City to an unprecedented quadruple

City to the 'four' in bid to make history

With the Premier League title long-since wrapped up for Manchester City, many will be wondering if the champions-elect can do the clean sweep and complete the elusive quadruple this season.

Arklow’s Daire O’Connor scored for Cliftonville last weekend

Starting to shine! O'Connor beginning to really find his feet at Cliftonville

Daire O'Connor has had to be very patient since joining Cliftonville last October. For all of the talent that he possesses, the Arklow native has had to wait for a consistent run in the starting XI of the Belfast club.

Sam O’Callaghan drives up the field during the IFC clash with Carnew Emmets last season

From Kilmac to North Carolina: talented Sam on fire for the Tornados

A lot can change in eight short months. Back on August 9 of last year, I was at Ryder's Field, watching Glencormac United and St. Peter's share a nine-goal classic that ended with the latter taking the spoils with a 5-4 win that propelled them close to the league title. During the contest, a spirited Glens outfit were spurred on by brother Josh and Sam O'Callaghan.

Brandon Kavanagh of Bray Wanderers celebrates scoring his side’s third goal during the SSE Airtricity League First Division clash with Shelbourne. Photos: Sportsfile

Spoils shared after thriller in Tolka Park

If Bray Wanderers fans fell asleep during the stalemate with Treaty United, this match should have jolted them back to life.

Republic of Ireland captain Seamus Coleman and goalscorer Gerson Rodrigues of Luxembourg. Photo: Sportsfile

Bum note as Kenny meets his Waterloo

Like Ireland, Luxembourg have a proud history in the Eurovision Song Contest.

Bray’s Ryan Graydon drives forward under the watchful gaze of Treaty’s Mark Walsh during the SSE Airtricity League First Division opener at the Carlisle Grounds on Sunday afternoon. Photos: Leigh Anderson

Opportunity lost as Bray fail to finish

It is apparently not how you start but how you finish that matters. That perhaps is just as well as Bray Wanderers barely started on Sunday afternoon and they certainly could not finish.

Former Arklow CBS student Patryk Kibler is enjoying life in college football in the US at the moment

Patryk has the ability to go a long way in the US

Former Arklow Town FC and Greystones AFC player Partryk Kibler is thriving in the college football scene in America at the moment and plans to enter the 2022 draft that could see him playing in the MLS.

Bray boss Gary Cronin. Photo by Seb Daly / Sportsfile

Reaction: 'It's a poor two points dropped'

He is in the business of winning - not of making excuses so Gary Cronin held his hands up on Sunday afternoon and admitted his side must do better in future.

Rathdrum’s Becky Cassin got her reign as Cork City captain off to a flying start by saving a point courtesy of a stunning late strike. Photo by Stephen McCarthy / Sportsfile

Class from Cassin: Stunning strike from Becky as Cork draw with Galway

Becky Cassin's reign as captain of Cork City FC has gotten off to an excellent start, as the 24-year-old Rathdrum native's late, long-range strike rescued a point for the Leesiders, who came from behind to draw 3-3 with Galway on the opening weekend of the Women's National League.

Bray Wanderers boss Gary Cronin takes charge of the Seagulls for the third season. Photo by Matt Browne / Sportsfile

Ready and able! Start delayed but Cronin's Seagulls are rearing to go

At the end of the 2021 season, Gary Cronin's current contract as Bray Wanderers manager will expire. And the end of 2021 season is when Cronin will pause for thought about the situation as he has a First Division title to win first.

Carnew’s Edel Kennedy says her Wexford Youths side are ‘hungry’ for silverware ahead of the 2021 season opener this Saturday. Photo by Matt Browne / Sportsfile

Hungry for success

It has been three years since Wexford Youths last got their hands on the Women's National League title. In the time that has lapsed since that last coronation, in 2018, Peamount United have assumed control over the division by winning the last two titles and the most recent FAI Cup.

Chrisy Lyons in action for Drogheda against Waterford. Photo by Seb Daly / Sportsfile

Strong start to Premier by Wicklow brigade

This past weekend saw the return of the Airtricity League Premier Division for 2021, with a crop of Wicklow exports taking part in the opening weekend, to varying degrees of success.

Kilbride’s Claire Walsh who will line out for Peamount United in their Premier League opener against Wexford Youths on Saturday. Photo by Stephen McCarthy / Sportsfile

A path less travelled: Kilbride, the US and now Peamount

Claire Walsh has taken the path less travelled to get to where she is now. From humble sporting beginnings in Blessington, and progressing through the youth system at Peamount United, thus offering a hint towards what was to come down the line, she made the rather substantial leap across a rather large pond to begin her career, in earnest, in America.

Becky Cassin of Cork City during the FAI Women’s Senior Cup quarter-final match between Bohemians and Cork City at Oscar Traynor Centre in Coolock last October. Photo by Stephen McCarthy / Sportsfile

'Just to be walking out onto that pitch will be unbelievable. Being captain will just top it off, really'

April 3, 2021 is a date that is sure to be encircled on calendars belonging to fans of Cork City Football Club. It will be a day that has been years in the making for so many involved behind the scenes, and one on which the bridge between the club's female and male cohorts is momentously shortened.

Barndarrig’s Liam Scales fires home the equaliser for Shamrock Rovers during the President’s Cup clash with Dundalk. Photo by Stephen McCarthy / Sportsfile

The highs and lows: Scales bags a beauty but Hoops lose out

Barndarrig's Liam Scales was almost the talk of the President's Cup battle between Shamrock Rovers and Dundalk last Friday night had the result went the way of Stephen Bradley's side.

Brandon Kavanagh in action for Bray Wanderers against Drogheda United pre-season clash in Abbotstown last weekend. Photos: Peter Minogue

An excellent result: pre-season it may be but goals are always welcome

Pre-season or not, Bray Wanderers fans will be delighted to see their beloved Seagulls discovering their goalscoring touch.

Republic of Ireland goalkeeping coach Steve Williams, right, and Darren Randolph prior to the UEFA Nations League B match between Republic of Ireland and Bulgaria at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin last November. Photo by Seb Daly / Sportsfile

Randolph injury rules him out of early fixtures

Darren Randolph's injury woes are continuing apace and have now cost him his place in Stephen Kenny's side for the opening games of the World Cup campaign.

Kiltegan’s Ado Foley and Derek Daly (middle row, first and second from left) helped Kellyville Colts to the Summer Soccer crown last week

Top men still going strong!

With very little sporting action to keep us entertained over in this part of the world it's great to hear about two proud Kiltegan natives enjoying sporting success Down Under last week when they helped the Kellyville Kolts to the O35 Summer Soccer six-a-side crown for the fifth time in a row.

Arklow’s Michael Walker at Travers Insurance Park on Monday afternoon. Walker has been making major progress through the coaching world in recent years and he now takes up a coaching position at his home club

Where he belongs: Walker takes up coaching role with Arklow Town FC

He may still be a young man, but Michael Walker is already establishing himself as an aspiring coach in soccer. Still only in his 20s, the Arklow native has racked up an impressive variety of qualifications, having earned both his UEFA 'B' and 'A' licences in recent years.

Bray’s Conor Clifford in action against Bohs. Photo: Peter Minogue

Plenty to build on: Seagulls give a good account of themselves against Bohs

All good things must come to an end but a rather insignificant thing also came to an end at the weekend as Bray Wanderers tasted defeat for the first time in their pre-season campaign.

Bray’s Alannah McEvoy ahead of the start of the 2021 WNL season. Photo by Stephen McCarthy / Sportsfile

The world is Alannah McEvoy’s oyster

A ball had not been kicked in the title decider between Peamount United and Shelbourne last November, but sensing her chance at social media fame, Alannah McEvoy had hitched a plan. Seven years earlier, in 2013, she was spearheading Enniskerry Belles to the Meadow Tournament: a one-day blitz pitting local girls' teams against each other.

Robert Lewandowski and his Bayern Munich team-mates could well lift the Champions League trophy again

All eyes firmly on Europe's top prize

With the Premier League title long-since wrapped up as the Manchester City juggernaut went into overdrive and embarked on a winning streak that Mexican boxing legend Julio Cesar Chavez would be proud of, we now have to turn our attentions to the Champions League to get our footballing kicks.

Conor Clifford, in action for Derry last season, has the potential to light up the First Division with Bray Wanderers. Photo by Eóin Noonan / Sportsfile

All set for action: Gary Cronin’s squad is looking to be in a very healthy place

With the transfer window shutting on Thursday last, it looks like Gary Cronin has signed off on his 2021 squad.

Ryan Graydon featured in last weekend’s clash with Derry City. Photo by Eóin Noonan / Sportsfile

Six new signings shine for Seagulls against Derry

Derry City made the long trip south and came up against a well-drilled Bray Wanderers side as the Seagulls made it two matches unbeaten in their pre-season campaign.

Tommy Hamilton at his house in Greystones

The life and times of Tommy Hamilton

Tommy Hamilton turned up for school in Synge Street CBS on the morning of February 3, 1953 in the thick of his Leaving Cert year. The previous summer, after being spotted by the chief scout for Manchester United, Joe Armstrong, while playing for Shamrock Boys. He spent July and August in Manchester, before returning to complete his secondary school education.

Simon Power’s Harrogate Town moved to within five points of the League Two play-offs. Photo by Stephen McCarthy / Sportsfile

Power helps Town move closer to the play-offs

Back to back wins in the space of a week has seen Simon Power and Harrogate Town climb to within five points of the League Two play-offs, while Paul McShane and his Rochdale colleagues have inched ever closer to the relegation zone in League One, and Darren Randolph made his return to the West Ham United goalmouth.

Soccer

April 2021