BOHEMIANS v BRAY WANDERERS
Irish Daily Mail FAI Cup, Dalymount Park, Friday 21 August, 7.45pm
Bohemians meet Bray for the second time this week and the fifth time this season as they aim for a quarter-final place in the FAI Cup.
Manager Keith Long will have several regular starters back, who were rested for Monday’s league game. “We had one eye on Friday but, as it turned out, we didn’t get the result or the performance that I would have liked. It gives us a sharp reminder that Bray are in a good run of form,” Long said.
“We have as many points now as the team accumulated over the whole of last season. The logic of what we did on Monday was to make sure we were right for Friday. Only going through to the next round will justify that and, hopefully, we will be proven correct.”
READ MORE
However, Monday’s defeat cost Bohemians not only potential points, but also injuries to two midfielders, Robbie Creevy (knee) and Eoin Wearen (head). Their injuries unsettled Bohemians’ approach to Monday’s game and both will be out for Friday. So too will recent recruit Jake Kelly, who is cup-tied.
Long paid tribute to the Bray players for battling hard through two changes of management. Bray have won six of their eight league games since the summer break, gaining nine points on Bohemians. However, it would take extraordinary circumstances to change Bohs’ league position as there are still 11 points separating them in fifth place from Bray in sixth.
“You’ve got to give the Bray players huge credit. They work extremely hard and we won’t take them lightly. We didn’t do soon Monday. I wasn’t surprised at Bray’s performance, but I was disappointed with our own.
“I would expect our players to give a good account of themselves because they know how important this game is to us as a group and to the club in general.
“The players will need no extra motivation and that’s going to be a big factor on Friday. I feel it will come down to which team that shows greater desire and I hope that will be us.”
Karl Moore missed the last league game through sickness, but he returns for Friday. Derek Prendergast, Anto Murphy and Keith Buckley, who were rested on Monday, are also available. Derek Pender, Marc Griffin and Dan Byrne remain out with long-term injuries.
Bohemians and Bray have already met four times this season, as they did in 2014 and 2013. In these 12 matches in three competitions, Bohemians have won eight. Bray’s last win in Dalymount Park was in October 2013.
