League Preview: Cobh Ramblers -v- Longford Town

COBH RAMBLERS

Cobh Ramblers host Longford Town in the first of two meetings in four days for the sides at St Colman's Park on Saturday night (kick-off 7.45pm).

The Rams suffered a 3-0 defeat to Galway United at Eamonn Deacy Park last Friday with a brace from Conor Barry and an Alan Murphy penalty doing the damage.

It was another first half collapse for Stephen Henderson's side, who conceded four before the break the week before against Drogheda and let in all three in the first half in Galway.

"Longford are in dire need of points because they would have seen themselves as title challengers so a win against us will be vital for them,” Henderson told the club's sociak media channels.

"At this stage all we can do is try and enjoy the rest of the season. It been a disastrous first season of games results wise but we have had some really good performances in there which is what we have to take heart from.

“Even at this stage it would take a monumental effort to get into the playoffs - so as I said we might as well just go and enjoy ourselves while we try to continually improve as a team.”

John Dineen and Charlie Fleming will be assessed closer to kick-off but there are no other injury worries for the Rams.

LONGFORD TOWN

Longford Town travel to Cobh in pursuit of a win to put their promotion ambitions back on a solid footing.

Neale Fenn's side are without a win in their last three league games and dropped into the bottom half of the table following last week's home defeat to Finn Harps.

Dylan McGlade had equalised for Town after Mark Coyle had given Harps an early lead, but Sam Todd scored in injury time to give the visitors a smash-and-grab win.

Better has been their cup form, and they earned a morale-boosting Leinster Senior Cup win over UCD on Tuesday thanks to a Jackson Ryan brace.

“It’s going to be tough,” midfielder Sam Verdon told the club's official website.

“You’ll never get an easy game going down to Cobh, small pitch, small ground, tough team so yes, it is going be a tough game.

“We need to start catching back up with the teams at the top of the table because we can’t afford to drop any more points or else we’ll fall away.”

Fenn will be without young midfielder Aodh Dervin for the next month after he was injured in the defeat to Harps, while Shane O'Connor and Alan Kehoe are also out.

Shane Elworthy and Peter Hopkins could feature as they near returns to fitness, but Evan Galvin is a doubt after limping off in the win over UCD.

Referee:

MATCH STATS

The pair met on the first weekend of the season in City Calling Stadium, where a second half comeback from Cobh secured a 2-2 draw.

Cobh had the better of the sides' four meetings last year, winning three of their four encounters and Longford the other.

BETTING

Cobh Ramblers 13/5; Draw 23/10; Longford Town 10/11.

PREDICTION

Cobh Ramblers 1 – 2 Longford Town

Cobh Ramblers

Injured: None.

Doubtful: John Dineen, Charlie Fleming.

Suspended: None.

Longford Town

Injured: Aodh Dervin, Shane O'Connor, Alan Kehoe.

Doubtful: Shane Elworthy, Peter Hopkins, Evan Galvin.

Suspended: None.