Drogheda United vs Bray Wanderers Preview
Drogheda will face Bray Wanderers in a game with massive ramifications for their futures. The Drogs have had a miserable league campaign but defied the odds to win the FAI Cup. They still have their Premier Division destiny in their hands. Meanwhile, Bray is hoping to return to the promised land after a lengthy absence.
This has been a thrilling season in the League of Ireland and Drogheda vs Bray is our final game of the campaign. They face off in the Relegation/Promotion Playoff Final on Saturday, November 16, at 2:00 pm. It would be shocking to see Drogheda and Dundalk go down in the same season, but Bray fans are desperate for the Seagulls to be back in the big time.
Drogheda United vs Bray Wanderers Key Stats and Head-to-Head
Bray is facing Drogheda at the worst possible time this season. Kevin Doherty’s men have been under-par all year with just seven wins. They’ve also won 13 games and had 16 draws. However, they stunned Derry City by winning the FAI Cup at the Aviva Stadium last weekend.
It’s fair to say that nobody expected Drogheda to win this game. Andrew Quinn’s first-half goal sent them into the lead. Then Douglas James-Taylor sealed a second FAI Cup victory for the Drogs in the second half. Derry never seriously threatened to put them under pressure. It was a huge morale boost for Drogheda, who will enter this game on a high.
The Seagulls also overcame adversity to seal their spot in the playoff final. They came from 2-0 down to draw level against Athlone Town and send the game to extra-time. Dylan Hand’s own goal allowed Bray back into the match. Then Cole Omorehiomwan scored the precious equaliser in the 92nd minute.
Jimmy Corcoran was Bray’s hero as they defeated Athlone 4-2 in the penalty shootout. It was very entertaining, as they proved their big game quality earlier this month. Jimmy Corcoran saved Aaron Connolly and Amardo Oakley’s kicks as he sealed his legend status.
Goals have been a problem for Drogheda this season. Frantz Pierrot has ten for the relegation candidates and will be crucial in this match. The aforementioned Douglas James-Taylor proved his quality in one-off cup ties. He had seven goals in the FAI Cup and will hope to add to his tally this weekend.
💜💙 FAI CUP CHAMPIONS!!!! 💙💜 pic.twitter.com/vZh5wdGvka
— Drogheda United F.C. (@DroghedaUnited) November 10, 2024
Meanwhile, Cristian Măgerușan will be Bray’s main man up front. The Romanian has been very effective for the Seagulls throughout their First Division campaign. They’ll hope he can send them back to the Premier Division for the first time since 2018. It would be a major setback for Drogheda if they went down after returning to the top flight in 2020.
Drogheda United vs Bray Wanderers Prediction
Predicted Score: Drogheda United 2 – 0 Bray Wanderers
A significant gap remains between the Premier Division and most of the First Division. That’s why our soccer prediction is for Drogheda to defeat Bray and win this playoff final. Drogheda proved their quality in knockout games this season and may maintain that momentum.
We’re predicting that this will be a tight and scrappy affair. Neither side will want to make a mistake, so the first half may be messy. But we think Drogheda has too much quality for the Seagulls. They have a higher standard of player overall, as they proved against Derry.
Elicha Ahui was immense against the Candystripes. The fullback shut down Michael Duffy in that game and is dependable at the back. His counterpart on the left side, Conor Kane, won the penalty against Derry. Drogheda also has a serious aerial threat with Andrew Quinn scoring in the FAI Cup final. There’s a good chance they’ll win this game by a couple of goals with one coming from a set piece.
Jimmy Corcoran could be a key man for Bray again in this match. There’s also a chance this game will go to a penalty shootout. It will be difficult for Bray to break Drogheda down, but they also have a chance with Măgerușan up front. The former Bohemians star has 10 goals this season.
We predict the midfield battle will be key in this final. Ryan Brennan is an inspirational captain and always delivers for Drogheda. His partnership with Darragh Markey could be too much for Bray. Athlone overran the Seagulls in the early stages of their semifinal. They can’t afford to let this happen again because Drogheda is a superior outfit.
Those FT scenes 😍#FAICup | @DroghedaUnited pic.twitter.com/IwZSnofgpT
— FAIreland (@FAIreland) November 10, 2024
Arguably, Bray overachieved to reach this point. They capitalised on Athlone’s meltdown to seal their spot in this final. Remember, they finished fifth in the First Division this season with 14 wins and 13 losses. Anyone who has been betting on the Premier Divison will know Drogheda’s win was a shock in the FAI Cup, but we struggle to see them losing to Bray after the Louth side’s impressive week
Don’t forget to check the in-play betting markets during this game. The Drogs enter this match as sizeable favourites, but that may change if Bray snatches an early goal. This is League of Ireland football, and anything can happen.
Drogheda United vs Bray Wanderers Betting Tips
Drogheda enters this promotion/relegation playoff as massive favourites. Our sports betting site isn’t giving Bray much hope of victory. It’s 7/10 for the Drogs to defeat the Seagulls at full-time and secure their Premier Division status for another season. A €10 stake would make a €7 profit if successful.
We think that betting on Drogheda makes sense because they are a stronger side on paper. Yes, they’ve had a bleak league campaign, but they’ve raised their game in cup ties. They also have the positive experience of beating Derry City in the FAI Cup final. This is a massive morale boost that came at the perfect time.
Bray starts this game with a significant 18/5 underdog to win this match outright at full-time. A successful €10 wager would see returns of €46. Some players may find this very tempting, but a moneyline bet on Drogheda is a wiser option. There’s a reason the bookies don’t fancy Bray.
There are many other soccer markets for this playoff final. Players can choose the team they think will win promotion or maintain their status without selecting full-time results. It’s 4/10 for Drogheda to stay in the Premier Division and 19/10 for Bray to go up. The latter would turn €10 into €29.
Another great option is the method of promotion. We predict Drogheda will win this game in regular time at 7/10. We believe Bray’s most likely method would be to win by penalties. They achieved this against Athlone and Jimmy Corcoran is a good shot-stopper.
It’s 9/2 for penalties to decide this game without choosing a winner. This would deliver a €45 profit from €10. Although we think Drogheda should win, we can see a situation where they find it impossible to break Bray down. It’s 10/1 for either side to win a penalty shootout.
Green Army 🟢⚪️ pic.twitter.com/BkDRlhWJU4
— Bray Wanderers FC (@BrayWanderers) November 2, 2024
There are also plenty of over-under markets. We believe there will be under 2.5 goals at 4/5. This is consistent with our predicted 2-0 score. Also, we’d select against both sides scoring at 17/20. These options could make great prop bets as you try to enhance your potential returns. It’s only 3/10 for there to be over 1.5 or under 3.5 goals, so this is less attractive.
You can also select the full-time or anytime correct scores. It’s 13/2 for Drogheda to win 2-0 in normal time. A €10 wager could make €65 so this is very appealing. Meanwhile, it’s 8/15 for them to take a 1-0 lead at any time. This could tempt with a larger stake because it feels like a very safe bet.
Other options include selecting a halftime winner and deciding if the game goes to extra-time. It’s 17/2 for Drogheda to win after extra-time. The same market is available for Bray at 18/1. This would surprise us because we think Drogheda won’t allow the game to get this far. However, they’ve been very inconsistent this season and stranger things have happened.
Drogheda United Team News and Predicted Lineup:
We predict Kevin Doherty will start the same lineup that played Derry in the FAI Cup Final. This side put on a brave and passionate display. Fatigue or knocks may force Doherty’s hand. Gary Deegan, Adam Foley, and Luke Heeney made decent contributions off the bench. One of them may make a start. Frantz Pierrot could drop out as one of their quieter performers.
- Drogheda Predicted Lineup: Dennison, Ahui, Quinn, Webster, Bolger, Kane, Farrell, Markey, Brennan, Pierrot, James-Taylor.
Bray Wanderers Team News and Predicted Lineup:
Paul Heffernan’s team may make a couple of changes ahead of this game. It will concern him that they shipped a two-goal lead against Athlone. They’ve had more rest than Drogheda, so fatigue shouldn’t be too much of an issue.
- Bray Predicted Lineup: Corcoran, Duggan, Cantwell, Omorehiomwan, Osam, Groome, Craven, Almirall, Griffin, O’Sullivan, Măgerușan.
