A 15th-minute goal from Dean Kelly saw Liam Buckley enjoy a winning return as Pat’s manager in a fiery encounter that saw two players sent off.

The Saints started the game confidently, with new signings Kelly and Christopher Forrester linking up well in the final third.

Bray put plenty of pressure on Pat’s, though, and they had a decent opportunity on 11 minutes, when Jason Byrne headed over from an Adam Hanlon corner on the left-hand side.

Sean O’Connor forced a fine save from Bray netminder Darren Quigley just a minute later, before turning provider for the game’s only goal at the end of the opening quarter.

His corner was met by a powerful header by Kelly, and though Seagulls midfielder Dean Zambra initially appeared to have cleared the ball off the line, linesman Emmet Dynan awarded the goal to the former Shamrock Rovers star.

After the break, Pat’s were unlucky not to be awarded a penalty just past the hour mark, when John Russell was upended by Sean Houston, but referee Alan Kelly awarded a free-kick right on the edge of the area.

Bray’s Dave Webster was dismissed for a second yellow card with 12 minutes remaining, but Pat’s were soon reduced to 10 men when Jake Kelly was given a straight red following an incident involving his former team-mate Dane Massey.

Pat’s continued to press in the closing stages, with Stephen O’Flynn going close in the 82nd and 84th minutes, but Kelly’s strike was enough to get them three points in the end.

ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC – Clarke; O’Brien, Browne, Kenna, Bermingham; Chambers, Russell, Rossiter; Forrester (O’Flynn 75), D Kelly (Meenan 84), O’Connor (J Kelly 70).

BRAY WANDERERS – Quigley; Webster, Houston, Sweeney, Massey; Hanlon, O’Connor, Zambra, Mulroy (G Kelly 64), Waters; Byrne (Bolger 83).

REF – A Kelly (Cork).

Irish Independent