League Report: Cobh Ramblers 1-0 Cork City

Dylan O’Connell reports from St Colman’s Park

Jake Hegarty wrote his name into Cobh Ramblers folklore on Friday evening by scoring the goal which gave the home side a 1-0 victory over Cork City at St Colman’s Park.

This was the Rams first victory over their local rivals in twenty six years, a result made all that sweeter because it was their first home win of the 2021 First Division season.

This game of football felt almost like a boxing match as Cobh faced up to their local rivals with a clear decisive game plan, which involved sitting back and absorbing the blows from their heavy weighted opponent and when the opportunity came, they struck hard.

City’s jabs were led by Cian Bargary who tormented the Ramblers on the left flank. Five minutes into the game, the forward placed an inch perfect free kick into the Cobh box.

Cian Murphy cleared for the Rams, but the ball fell to Jack Baxter who fired over from point blank range.

James McCarthy came to the rescue for Cobh when Alec Byrne played the visitor’s own Cian Murphy free on the right flank.

The quick footed winger burst forward and attempted to square to Bargary. McCarthy sensed the danger and darted in, muscled the ball from the feet of the City attacker, and saved the Ramblers.

City pressed and won back possession, which set up Bargary for a shot. He fired from just  outside the penalty area and his effort smashed off the post.

The ball then fell to Gordon Walker, who shot first time into the hands of Sean Barron.

Cobh had to wait half-an-hour for their first chance of the game, and when it arrived, Killian Cooper nearly put them ahead in spectacular fashion when the striker caught a ball just outside the penalty area and shot right across the face of goal.

The introduction of Dylan McGlade midway through the first half gave City a new dynamic to their loaded attack. The quick footed winger nearly scored minutes into his appearance with a free kick, which rounded the wall and stung the palms of Barron.

Gearoid Morrissey was left frustrated shortly after the restart as he hit the outside the post with a spinning attempt on goal.

Attacking well, but getting denied by the finest of margins was a familiar pattern for City in this game. Even when they were handed an open goal, after Barron was caught off his line by a McGlade cross, Bargary could only blast over the Liam McMahon Stand.

Morrissey looked to have finally undone City’s unlucky streak when he placed a across right into the path of Bargary.

The move started from a free-kick and looked to be finished by the head of the forward, but the pace of the ball was that little too quick and went wide.

Then, Cobh struck with a move that went completely against the run of play when Lee Devitt headed the ball down from a corner-kick, to an unmarked Hegarty who fired first time into the roof of the net.

City responded by putting Jack Walsh and Beineon O’Brien Whitmarsh onto the pitch. The attacking duo went straight up top for the Rebel Army as they began to throw everything into their search for an equaliser.

McGlade tried his luck in the final second of normal time with a free kick from thirty five yards out. This landed perfectly into the hands of Barron, who did not have to change his position in goal.

In the final moment of the game, Chris O’Reilly won the ball back outside the penalty area and shielded the ball as referee Alan Patchell sounded for full-time.

Cobh Ramblers: Sean Barron, Lee Devitt, Ben O’Riordan, Charlie Lyons, Ian Turner, Killian Cooper (Chris O’Reilly 85), Jake Hegarty, Dave O’Leary, Darren Murphy, Cian Murphy (Darryl Walsh 60), James McCarthy.

Subs not used: Naythan Coleman, Gavin Ryan, Martin Coughlan, Kevin Williams, Caelin Rooney, Corey Chambers, Ciaran Griffin.

Booked: Jake Hegarty (Yellow Card), Sean Barron (Yellow Card), Darren Murphy (Yellow Card),

Cork City: Mark McNulty, George Heaven, Gearoid Morrissey, Cian Coleman, Cian Bargary, Alec Byrne, Darragh Crowley (Uniss Kargbo 77), Cian Murphy (Beineon O’Brien Whitmarsh 65), Gordon Walker, Jonas Hakkinen (Dylan McGlade 37), Jack Baxter (Jack Walsh 65).

Subs not used: David Harrington, Steven Beattie, Dale Holland, Jamie Wynne.

Booked: George Heaven (Yellow Card),

Referee: Alan Patchell