Henderson labels late Wexford equaliser 'a disgrace' as Cobh draw opener

Stephen Henderson was an annoyed character when he spoke to the assembled media in the aftermath of his side’s opening day draw at home to Wexford.

Asked to sum up proceedings after the match, the Cobh manager said;

“I’m very disappointed with the result; the performance wasn’t what we were expecting. The pitch was very soft. It was like a war of attrition between the two sides and it turned out that way.”

The way the goal was conceded was what annoyed Henderson most of all with fair play the further most thought in his mind. Cobh captain Chris McCarthy was injured and the ball was kicked out, but instead of playing the ball back to Cobh, the visitors carried on and ended up equalising through a Lee Duffy header.

“We are very annoyed with their goal there. We were expecting them to throw the ball back there after Kaka (Chris McCarthy) had gone down injured. But they decided not to so fair play to them. The manager should be ashamed of himself.

“It was a disgrace. Football is a good game and there is lots of ways to win it but you don’t cheat. I heard him say it there as they were about to throw it.

"If that is the way they want to go about getting points then Damien Locke has a very short future in the game.”

A debut from Shane Lowth impressed Henderson as the right back gave Ramblers a new defensive option ahead of the new season.

“He played very well at the back, stopped a few crosses at the back and nearly scored a screamer in the first half.”