REPORT: Cobh Ramblers 1 - 1 Galway Utd

Cobh Ramblers and Galway United served up an entertaining 1-1 draw last night on a difficult night for football.

Pre-match there was plenty to digest. Not least the state of the pitch which looked very well despite all the rain in the Cork area the previous week, but which had to survive a pre-match inspection to see any football at all on the night. There were two changes in the Galway United team – Oliver Fenn and John Russell came into midfield in place of John Lester and James O’Shea. Meanwhile there was one change on the Cobh side – the talented Davin O’Neill came into the team for Gareth Cambridge who was out of the squad of 16 on the night.

The first half could be summed up easily. No shortage of honest endeavor or quality football, but unfortunately for the neutral, there was little in the way of good goalmouth action. Both sides had spells of dominance. Cobh were first to threaten on the quarter hour mark , and it was the combination of Davin O’Neill and Kieran O’Reilly who created the opening chance. O’Reilly’s cut back cross had seemingly missed everyone before O’Neill’s shot at the back post went harmlessly wide. O’Neill and O’Reilly were excellent on the night and too often in the first half their good build-up play did not end with a shot in anger.

Galway had their moments in the first half as well, but unfortunately for the visitors their best chance of the half fell to centre-half Wesley Charles in the 28th minute – but the eircom league veteran’s shot from point blank range was straight at Cobh keeper James McCarthy, who looked grateful to be able to clear his lines.

The second half was a different story completely and the first 25 minutes of the half were dominated by the home side. O’Neill and O’Reilly were at it again on 54. O’Neill had excellently controlled a cross-field ball on his thigh – and in the same movement set O’Reilly free and in the ensuing one-on-one with Galway keeper Gary Rogers, Rogers came out the winner when smothering O’Reilly’s effort.

A minute later, and after some more good work by O’Neill, Kieran O’Reilly’s cross fell to Michael Mulconroy but his shot was blocked after a well timed challenge in the box by Charles in the Galway defence. At this stage it was all Cobh and next it was Davin O’Neill who forced a wonderful save from Rogers on 60 minutes after Mulconroy had squared him the ball from the edge of the area.

The chance of the breakthrough seemed gone for the home side however they were not to be denied and on 65 minutes it finally came. From a corner on the left Mulconroy headed back across the box after Kevin Murray had headed the ball in the air and waiting for it 8 yards out was man of the match O’Reilly and he made no mistake with a well placed header into the top right hand corner of the net.

It was relief for the team on the pitch, euphoria for those who braved the elements in the stands and, in truth, no more than Cobh deserved. Cobh boss Stephen Henderson will need to instill a killer instinct into his men for future games – for a combination of Cobh taking their foot off the pedal and their missed chances earlier in the game led to a disappointing end to the night for the Ramblers.

Galway equalised on 76 minutes, in what was one of their few shots on goal of the night. After Cobh had relinquished possession in midfield – Galway substitute Vincent Faherty released Derek O’Brien and the Galway winger smashed a low shot past McCarthy much to delight of the traveling Galway faithful behind the goal.

The heavy pitch seemed to have taken its toll on both sides - and both sides looked leaden legged after that, and the game fizzled out from then on, with possibly the visitors shading the closing exchanges in the possession stakes, spurred on with the momentum of the equalizing goal.

Galway will be pleased that another lack-lustre performance yielded an away point while Cobh surely will be disappointed that their efforts did not yield the three points that their efforts surely deserved.
 

Cobh: James McCarthy; Alan Carey (Ken Coleman 60), Kevin Murray, Shane Guthrie, John Meade; Michael Mulconry (Ray Lally), Shane Barrett, John Kearney (Alan Kearney 81), Davin O’Neill; Graham Cummins, Kieran O’Reilly.
Subs not used: Alan King, Conor Meade.
 

Galway: Gary Rogers; Wesley Charles, Regillio Nooitmeer, John Fitzgerald, Mark McCulloch; Ollie Fenn,(Jay O’Shea 71) John Russell (John Lester 60), Gary Deegan, Derek O’Brien; Derek Glynn (Vinny Faherty 65), Mark Leech. 
Subs not used: Alvin Rouse, Daryl Robson.

Referee: Derek Tomney.

Attendance: 900 (estimate).