Andy O’Connell returns to Cobh Ramblers

The versatile player re-joins the club in the First Division after a season at Galway United.

Andy O’Connell made a strong start to his time at Galway, as he made four starts in the Tribesmen’s first five games of the season before injury ruled him out for a large part of the Premier Division campaign. However, he came back towards the end of the season and made four substitute appearances in the last eight league games, appearing on the bench on the other four occasions.

O’Connell did play his part in the EA Sports Cup run though, coming off the bench in the 3-2 win over Finn Harps in the First Round before scoring the first goal in the 4-2 win over Cockhill Celtic, the game in which he was forced off injured. However, he recovered in time for the final against St. Patrick’s Athletic and came off the bench in the first half of extra-time but saw his penalty saved by Conor O’Malley in the shootout to see the Saints crowned the winners.

O’Connell had only joined Cobh Ramblers in August 2014 from Cork City and played in eight of a possible nine games before the season ended as Cobh finished bottom of the 2014 First Division table. During his spell at Cork City, he had made six league appearances over the course of three-and-a-half years at the club, having made his debut against Monaghan United in October 2011. He also played on loan for MSL side College Corinthians for the 2012/13 season.

O’Connell joining for the 2016 season represents the third Premier Division player that the Ramblers have signed, with Longford Town’s Paul Hunt and Cork City’s Rob Lehane previously signing on. All signings and re-signings made by Stephen Henderson this season have an underpinned locality to them with many local sides represented.

Midfielders James Stoat and Jimmy Griffin came from Cobh Wanderers while UCC’s Ian Mylod, CIT’s Eoin McGreevy and Crosshaven’s Cian Kingston have also signed up for the 2016 First Division season. Even Cobh’s new Swedish attacker Markus Gustavsson has come on board from Castleview.

The nine signings add to fourteen of last year’s squad who have re-signed so far:

David Browne, Paul Hunt (Longford Town), Eoghan Daly;  Brendan Frahill, James Furlong, Kevin Mulcahy, Anthony O’Donnell, Adam O’Sullivan, Cian Kingston (Crosshaven), Andy O’Connell (Galway United); Jason Abbott, Graham McCarthy, Shane O’Connor, Chris McCarthy, Jakub Buris, James Stoat (Cobh Wanderers), Jimmy Griffin (Cobh Wanderers), Eoin McGreevy (CIT), Stephen Christopher; Ian Mylod (UCC), Markus Gustavsson (Castleview), Jonathan Creamer, Rob Lehane (Cork City).