EA Sports Cup Preview: UCC -v- Cobh Ramblers

UCC

UCC will host League of Ireland football in the famous Mardyke tomorrow night at 8pm for the first time since 1996 where they lost to Limerick FC.

The famous ground has played host to many historic games over the years especially the 1939 friendly between Ireland and Hungary the first senior international game played outside of Dublin drawing a crowd of over 40,000 spectators.  One expects tomorrow’s crowd to be a fraction of that amount but still that won’t affect the occasion.

UCC qualified for the EA Sports Cup in controversial circumstances by being declared the winners of the Munster Senior League for the 2013/2014 season, a decision that was contested by Avondale United over the summer with the trophy only being presented late last year.

The UCC team go into this match on the back of some very good form having not been defeated in league action since last December while they progressed to this round on the back of two Ian Mylod goals in Ferrycarrig Park seeing of the challenge of Wexford Youths last month with the students emerging 2-1 winners.

Many of the UCC team will have played League of Ireland football in the past with Cathal Lordan being the standout player having won a First Division medal with Cork City and others like Darragh Corcoran, Ian Mylod and Seán O’Mahony having played underage for Cork City and senior for Cobh Ramblers respectively.

This is currently UCC soccer clubs most successful ever year with them claiming all three Intervarsity trophies a feat only ever done by UCD before this current year. While they also got to the FAI Intermediate Cup Quarter Finals for the first time only going out 5-4 on penalties to St. Mochta’s.

They defeated St. Mary’s 2-0 in the league coming into this clash. For the game tomorrow they will be without Collingwood and Harding Cup winning keeper Charlie Bourneman who injured his shoulder and striker Evan Browne with a hamstring injury.

COBH RAMBLERS

Stephen Henderson’s men will be looking for their second win of the season having defeated Cabinteely 1-0 on Saturday thanks to a goal from former UCC player Rob Waters. Henderson will be hoping for another victory to kick start a season that has already seen them suffer five defeats in all competitions.

Cobh qualified for the Second Round of the EA Sports Cup defeating Premier Division side Limerick 3-2 in St. Colman’s Park last month. A Ron Stanton goal made it 1-1 after normal time but a goal from Irish U-19 international Ryan Goldsmith and Kynan Rocks was enough to see them through to the next round.

Cobh Ramblers have a lengthy injury list to deal with ahead of this fixture with Peter White and Darren Murphy senior still out while Ross McCarthy joins them on the treatment table with a knee ligament injury. The club will be without Alan O’Flynn for the game after he announced last week that he was leaving the club due to work commitments. Lastly the suspended Darren Murphy Jnr. will be missing for this clash as he still has two games to run on his suspension from the red card received against Finn Harps last month.

Referee: Anthony Buttimer

MATCH FACTS

UCC centre half Seán O’Mahony who was captain of the victorious Harding Cup team earlier this year played with Cobh Ramblers before coming to UCC.

The Mardyke was the home of Cork City in the League of Ireland back in the 1940’s with their last official League match taking place in 1962.

UCC contains four players, in Jeremy Bridgeman, Pierce O’Riordan, Seán O’Mahony and Cian Murphy, who have won Harding and Collingwood Cup medals this year.

BETTING

UCC 13/8; Draw 23/10; Cobh Ramblers 11/8.

PREDICTION

UCC 0-1 Cobh Ramblers.

UCC

Injured: Charlie Bourneman (shoulder), Evan Browne (hamstring).

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: None.

Cobh Ramblers

Injured: Darren Murphy senior, Peter White, Ross McCarthy (knee ligaments).

Doubtful: None.

Suspended: Darren Murphy Jnr.