Treaty United supporters have never experienced three longer weeks.
A 3-1 triumph over Cobh Ramblers was as perfect a start as anyone associated with the club could have hoped for, leaving them hungry for some more Markets Field magic.
You could argue a 1-0 away win against newly relegated UCD and another on the road to Kerry FC in the intervening time satisfied some of the cravings. It’s not every day – or indeed year – Limerick’s senior soccer outfit win three on the bounce, right?
But members of the Blue Army would tell you you’re so terribly wrong. The hardly believable start to the season only teased them for a big return to Garryowen even more.
Treaty’s perfect start.
With three wins from three kickstarting an exciting new chapter for the club under Canadian CEO Ciara McCormack, there was plenty of positive energy for fans to emit before kick-off.
It’s often said how the everyman existence of League of Ireland players helps fans to feel as one with the team they support, and that connection between the two was never better encapsulated than in the opening moments of this contest.
That’s because the Treaty team emerged with the same confident verve as the fans in the stand, beating on the Bray Wanderers defence as though it was a Blue Army drum.
Just two minutes in, a corner from Willie Armshaw- met with a momentary hush of anticipation – set the wheels in motion for a thumping header from captain-come-conductor Mark Walsh.
The thumping of seats and concrete echoed right back at him. Turbocharged by three weeks of anticipation – and maybe beer and maybe testosterone – Markets Field was alive and kicking again. Much like the season itself, this was a perfect start.
Considine delivers again
Similarly to the match against Cobh Ramblers, things were only about to get better thanks to new fan favourite Thomas Considine.
Operating effectively on the right-flank, the League of Ireland player of the month nominee dribbled goalward and let fly after the half hour mark to double Treaty’s lead. Threatening throughout, the former Wexford FC man again showed what a a good player he will be for this Treaty team in 2024 with glimpses of quality which make all the difference.
Though he and Armshaw needed to work back from their wings throughout the second half to temper any Bray attempts at a comeback, what a joy it must be for those forward players to have the industrious likes of Scott Kirkland and Lee Devitt covering across and sweeping up any danger with their immaculate work-ethic. They were good again tonight.
Bray bite back.
Bray’s mixed approach play posed questions of Barrett’s side in the second half and, although generally well dealt with, they were rewarded after the seventieth minute mark when right-back Stephen Christopher was adjudged to have tripped an attacker bearing down on goal.
After a brief discussion, Shane Griffin stepped up and placed the ball just to the right of Chambers’ reach to suddenly leave the Seagulls in with a chance of snatching at least a draw.
To the visitors credit, they asked different questions of a young Treaty team with a combination of guts and guile. So much so that the longer the half went on, the deeper Treaty needed to dig.
There was a second of relief when Yoyo Mahdy looked to have been set free on goal, but that was before a divisive offside call cut the home team’s joy short and swung the momentum of the play.
Shortly later it was Bray back on the attack and Treaty ran out of answers.
A dart forward from Peter Grogan created a window of opportunity and his fizzed cross was expertly knocked home by fellow teenager Thomas Morgan to sink Shannonside spirits by making it 2-2.
The end result means that Treaty United’s 100% record might be no more, but they can at least march into next week still unbeaten in the First Division on ten points from four matches.
It will take more than two dropped points to halt this Treaty train anytime soon. Leaving the ground, you still couldn’t help but feel something is bubbling and building in Garryowen
FT: Treaty United 2-2 Bray Wanderers.
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