Bray Wanderers had things all their own way in the battle of the promoted teams at the Carlisle Grounds - and left Kilkenny looking like relegation candidates.

Injury-hit Bray had been going through a lean spell and it looked as if their bad luck was continuing when Mick Doohan had to retire after just eight minutes with a head injury.

But that was the spark that ignited the Seasiders. On came Barry O'Connor and within six minutes he had the ball in the Kilkenny net, heading home Eddie Gormley's cross.

On the half hour, O'Connor struck again, with a volley from Matt Britton's chipped pass.

Jody Lynch and Philip Keogh missed second-half chances as Bray continued their dominance. But Jason Byrne wrapped it up with five minutes left when he nodded home Gary Dempsey's right-wing cross.

Bray Wanderers: Van Boxtel, Campbell, Lynch, Doohan, Farrell, Keogh, Gormley, Dempsey, Britton, Byrne, Ryan

Subs: B O' Connor for Doohan 8 mins, Long for Lynch 80, K O'Brien for Byrne 86

Booked: Dempsey 84

Goals: B O'Connor 14, 29, J Byrne 85

Kilkenny City: Forde, Mulcahy, Brennan, Riordan, Byrne, Brunton, Costello, McGrath, O' Hanlon, Knight, Kabia

Subs: Mullen for McGrath 46 mins, Parkes for Kabia 69 mins

Booked: Riordan 30, O'Hanlon 62, Mullen 72

Referee: A O' Regan (Cork)