Goals from Ross Gaynor, Stephen Maher and Neale Fenn maintained Dundalk’s unbeaten run in pre-season as they put in a very impressive performance to defeat Bray Wanderers 3-1 at Jackson Park, Kilternan on Saturday afternoon.

In control
Ian Foster’s men were dominant for the most part and only fine goalkeeping kept the scores level before Gaynor eventually broke the deadlock just past the half-hour mark. That gave Dundalk the lead at the break and, although they had a couple of scares from Shane O’Neill after the interval, they doubled their advantage with a superb first-time 20-yard strike from Stephen Maher on 54 minutes. O’Neill then put Bray back in the game on the hour, just seconds after Dundalk had made five substitutions. But the Lilywhites were still well in control and wrapped up the victory on 70 minutes when Fenn found the net with a sublime finish after more good build-up play.

Dundalk dominant
The game opened evenly, but Dundalk, playing in a 3-5-2 formation, began to take over midway through the half, and Bray ‘keeper Brian Kane had to be alert on a number of occasions. The first real chance fell to Wayne Hatswell as a lucky bounce following a corner left the defender clear but his effort was well blocked by Kane. David McGowan then broke through on the right but, from a good position, fired wide, before down the other side Gaynor forced Kane into another fine save with a low drive. Former Bray midfielder Alan Cawley then found space on the edge of the box but his wicked effort curled just past the post.

Gaynor goal
Dundalk, however, were rewarded for their perseverance on 34 minutes when Fenn set Gaynor free on the left-hand side of the area with a neat pass, and the Ardee native took one touch before planting the ball in the far bottom corner. Bray were finding it difficult to make any inroads on the Dundalk defence, but O’Neill set about putting that right at the start of the second half when he had three efforts in a short time, although none of them seriously worried Matt Gregg. The Lilywhites should have extended their lead on 52 minutes when first McGowan’s shot was parried by Kane before Gaynor’s powerful effort was pushed away.

Maher strike
Moments later, though, Dundalk were 2-0 up, as the ball dropped to Maher just outside the box and his wonderful first-time shot hit the top corner of the net as he marked his first appearance since putting pen to paper on a one-year deal. On the hour-mark, Foster made five subs, and the new defence had little time to settle in before Bray got themselves back in the game. Ian Tuohy’s pass found O’Neill, thanks largely to an unfortunate slip by Ciarán McGuigan, and the lively striker rounded Gregg before sliding home. It was a rare threat from Bray, however, and Dundalk almost restored their two-goal cushion on 65 minutes when, after Dane Massey fouled Fenn 25-yards out, Cawley’s terrific curling effort was pushed around the post by Kane.

Fenn fabulous
From the resulting corner, Dundalk again threatened, this time McGuigan seeing his header cleared off the line before Garry Breen’s thunderous follow-up was blocked by a line of Bray players. Kyle Moran was then unlucky not to break through. But, seconds later, he played a part in the Louth outfit sealing victory as he combined with Cawley to setup Fenn, who from a tight angle on the left lifted the ball over Kane and into the far top corner for a sublime finish. Dundalk could have added more before the end as Breen twice threatened with headers before, at the death, Billy Smith’s pinpoint cross to the back post was headed over by the stretching Maher.

BRAY WANDERERS (4-4-2): Brian Kane (Robert Lambert 83), Daire Doyle, Philip Knight (Lloyd Massey 76), Shane O’Connor (James Kavanagh 56), Nicky Byrne (Daniel Ennis 76), Dane Massey (Ian Masterson 83), David O’Neill (Karl McCabe 83), Mark Salmon (Mark Walters 56), Dean Barrett (Franco Georgescu 76), Shane O’Neill (Adam O‘Connor 83), Derek Tyrell (Ian Tuohy 56).

DUNDALK (3-5-2): Matt Gregg; Garry Breen (Ciarán McGuigan 61), Liam Burns, Wayne Hatswell (Jason Mok 61); Shaun Kelly (Michael Synnott 61), Stephen Maher, Tom Miller, Alan Cawley, Ross Gaynor (Nathan Murphy 61); David McGowan (Kyle Moran 61 - Billy Smith 80), Neale Fenn.

Referee: Neil Doyle.