League Report: Cobh Ramblers 1 - 1 UCD

Cobh Ramblers extended their unbeaten run to four games while UCD went to 12 games as a late injury time Jason Abbot goal ensured that both teams would share the points at a wet St. Colman’s Park last night.

Cobh Ramblers went a goal behind after only three minutes when Chris Mulhall’s short corner found Mark Langtry who made no mistake curling the ball over Stephen Hickey to put UCD ahead. UCD were watched by two scouts from their European opponents F91 Dudelange at the game last night.

However Mulhall didn’t get much time to add to his assists as he was dismissed on 12 minutes for stamping on Cobh assistant manager Martin Cambridge with Rob Hennessy showing a red card.

Rob Waters had a few chances to get an equaliser for Cobh as they dominated possession against the ten men UCD but Niall Corbett was not to be beaten and it was only in the game’s final minutes that he was to be beaten in controversial circumstances.

Kynan Rocks was fouled by Tomas Boyle and everybody in the ground assumed it was to be a free kick with Boyle shown a yellow card. However Hennessy consulted with his namesake Ken on the sideline and then pointed to the spot much to the UCD protests.  Debutant Abbot stepped up and fired the ball to the bottom left hand corner to ensure Cobh got a deserved point.

Jamie Doyle won the games first corner on two minutes when his shot was blocked off Adam O’Sullivan for a corner. Chris Mulhall’s short corner found Mark Langtry who fired first time with his left leg from the edge of the box and it curled over Hickey to the top right hand corner.

Chris Mulhall didn’t have much time to extend his contribution on the game as he shown a straight red on 12 minutes for stamping on Cambridge when the ball was going out of play. Nobody on the UCD bench protested which told its own story regarding the red card

UCD nearly doubled the lead on 15 minutes when Gary O’Neill’s free from 20 yards deflected off the wall onto the crossbar and over for a corner.

The home side though including three players making their home debuts in Stephen Christopher, James Furlong and Abbot rallied though and through impressive debutant Stephen Christopher nearly had the equaliser when his perfect cross to Rob Waters saw the ex Dundalk players shot from six yards stopped with a point blank save from Niall Corbet for a corner.

On times thorough out the game Cobh was guilty of some defensive errors and this was down to the fact that many of the players had never played together. They were nearly made pay for it when Furlong and Frahill messed around with the ball and Swan intercepted it only to see his shot from 14 yards well saved by Stephen Hickey.

On 27 minutes Waters who had a number of chances during the game nearly scored with an outrageous effort when he intercepted UCD’s passing moves. UCD were sitting deep after the loss of Mulhall and his 40 yard chip saw Corbett back peddle and tip the ball over the bar for a corner.

Linesmen Hennessy came to Cobh’s rescue on 42 minutes as Tomas Boyle had a headed goal from 14 yards disallowed after a Robbie Benson free kick was ruled out for offside.

In the second half Cobh pressed but couldn’t get the final pass right and UCD were now sitting very deep and as a result racked up nine corners over the course of the game but could do nothing with them.

UCD who mainly relied on counter attacks during the second half nearly had a super sub in Jack on 62 minutes when a minute after his introduction he intercepted a Cobh defensive pass but his shot from inside the box went over the bar.

Cobh kept pressing but couldn’t find a way past Corbett until the drama arrived in the 91^st minute. The bookies didn’t expect an equaliser either with in-play betting as high as 5/1 for Rambles to score a goal. It was a scenario similar to the 2008 premier division clash against Bray Wanderers when they had a penalty overturned. It was Hennessy on that occasion that assisted the referee with the decision. However this time it went in favour of Cobh and Abbot tucked it away to seal a dream debut for the Cobh native.

Cobh Ramblers: Stephen Hickey; Adam O’Sullivan, Brendan Frahill, James Furlong (Kevin Mulcahy 56), Chris McCarthy; Stephen Christopher, Graham McCarthy, Darren Murphy (David King 73), Jason Abbot, Kynan Rocks; Rob Waters.

Subs not used: Eoghan Daly, Daniel Barry, David Curran,

Yellow Cards: Adam O’Sullivan (46), Graham McCarthy (62)

UCD: Niall Corbett; Ryan McLaughlin, Michael Leahy, Tomas Boyle, Marc Langtry; Jamie Doyle, Robbie Benson, Gary O’Neill, Chris Mulhall; Ryan Swan (Sami Belhout 80), Conor Canon (Jack Watson 59).

Subs not used: Conor Mackey, Dylan Watts, Maxi Kougoun, Daire O’Connor, Sean Coyne

Yellow Cards: Tomas Boyle (90)

Red Card: Mulhall (12)

Referee: Rob Hennessy (Dublin)

Attendance: 350 (estimate)

Extratime.ie Man of the Match: Stephen Christopher (Cobh Ramblers)