REPORT: Bray Wanderers 0-1 Waterford

A brilliant 15th minute free kick from Scott Twine eased Waterford FC into the semi-finals of the EA Sports Cup.

His excellent dead-ball strike left Gabriel Sava rooted to the spot and they remained resolute in defence to see off a spirited Bray Wanderers side. There were 11 changes in total between the two sides; six for the hosts and five for the visitors.

On 14 minutes, Akinade rolled Douglas and left him in his wake but after no advantage was gained, play was brought back for a tug by Douglas on Akinade. The Bray defender got booked and he then watched on as Scott Twine excellently curled the free kick over the wall and past the motionless Gabriel Sava in the Bray goal.

Just after the half hour mark, Joe Doyle was released clean through on goal with no offside flag but his touch was very poor and it allowed Maxim Kouogun to recover and he pressured Doyle into a mistake and the danger vanished as soon as it had appeared.

After a spell of dominance for the Seagulls, Waterford almost caught them on the break. They swept forward with menace and Galvin slipped it wide for Hery. His low cross should have been tucked away by Akinade but the frontman failed to make contact and Twine was offside as he looked to do so.

A daisy-cutter from the edge of the area from Cory Galvin took a wee deflection off a Bray leg and skidded inches wide as Waterford almost killed off the tie on the verge of half time. After a modest start to the second period, the hosts were desperately unlucky not to draw level on the hour mark.

Luke Nolan’s slide-rule pass released Doyle and his powerful strike cannoned back off the upright. Akinade had a decent sight of goal before he expertly turned provider as he diverted a cross back across goal for Twine but the attacker blazed over.

Bray threw men forward in numbers late on but couldn't find a way past the Waterford defence and it is the Munster men who advanced to the last four.