- Simon O'Gorman
- Sun, Aug 04 2013
An injury time winner from Martin Deady secured a dramatic late win for Cobh Ramblers against Mervue United at St Colman’s Park on Saturday night.
With 39 goals having been scored in the nine league fixtures this year at the Cobh venue, it should have come as no surprise that this game provided with yet another multi-goal thriller. And after five goals, two penalties and that late, late winner, Cobh Ramblers picked up a crucial three points as they seek to avoid bottom spot in the league.
Dave Hill made five changes to the team that lost to bottom side Salthill Devon last weekend and was rewarded on 38 minutes when Kynan Rocks picked up Rob Waters through ball and held off Martin Conneely before slotting past Conor Gleeson to open the scoring.
The game started slowly and it was Mervue who made the first positive impressions with Stephen Walsh proving an energetic and troublesome oppenent for the home defence while Jason Molloy became increasingly effective down Mervue’s left flank.
But Rocks’ impressive finish changed the rhythm of the game and Davin O’Neill twice headed narrowly wide of the Mervue goal in the dying minutes of the first half. Mervue recovered in time for the start of the second period with Walsh continued to cause havoc down the inside left channel while Marc Ludden fired just over the Rams bar and Gary Shanahan passed up a golden opportunity from close range.
But the home side scored again just ten minutes after the restart when a seried of mishaps led to Davin O’Neill side-footing Rock’s square pass into an empty net. Jason Molloy gave away possession and Paul Sinnott failed to clear despite full back Sean O’Mahony over-running the ball. The errors were unished and Cobh seemed to be sailing towards the three points.
Davin O’Neill saw his low hot saved by Gleeson and Waters blasted high over the bar as the home side enjoyed their most dominant spell. But on 71 minutes Stephen Walsh broke forwards and forced a corner which when taken low to Ludden’s feet drew a foul from Roy Kenny and referee Simon Rogers pointed to the spot.
Ryan Manning finished powerfully to the right hand corner and Mervue were immediately revived. Tom King created an opening for Maning who shot over and Walsh nearly equalised when he lobbed both keeper and bar with eight minutes remaining. But four minutes later the Galway side were level.
In a bizarre sequence of play Manning and Shanahan combined to play in Walsh who’s clumsy shot was palmed away by Shane Hallahan in the Cobh goal but only onto the arm of the covering defender Brendan Frahill. Manning again tucked away the spot kick but the evening’s drama was not yet complete.
In added time Cobh launched a long ball downhill towards the Mervue goal and O’Neill headed got on the end of it to head through a gap in the defensive line. Martin Deady latched onto it and planted the ball past Gleeson to send the home fans into rapture and secure a precious three points for Ramblers.
Cobh Ramblers: Shane Hallahan; Sean O’Mahony, Craig Burns, Brendan Frahill, John Meade (Anthony O’Donnell 76); Rob Waters (James Carson 83), Shane Barrett (Andrew Bhandarkar 69), Roy Kenny, Martin Deady; Kynan Rocks, Davin O’Neill.
Subs not used: Graham McCarthy, Daniel Santry, Jonathan Spillane, Ronan Stanton.
Booked: Barrett (39), Kenny (71), Frahill (85).
Mervue United: Conor Gleeson; Tom King, Martin Conneely, Paul Sinnott, Marc Ludden; Gary Shanahan, Noel Varley, Barry O’Mahony, Jason Molloy (Michael Duffy 90); Ryan Manning, Stephen Walsh.
Subs not used: Ger Hanley, Conor O’Malley, Joe Woods, Ross Kenny, Michael McSweeney, Brendan Lavelle.
Booked: Molloy (67).
Referee: Simon Rogers.
Attendance: .
Extratime Man of the Match: Stephen Walsh (Mervue United).
