- Fran Reilly
- Sat, May 23 2015
A 94th minute Brendan Frahill equaliser saw Cobh Ramblers complete a comeback from two goals down to snatch a 2-2 draw with Cabinteely and a share of the points in Stradbrook.
Both managers were left to rue missed opportunities as this First Division clash finished in a stalemate. After a bright start, Cobh found themselves 2-0 down after only just 13 minutes courtesy of an Audi Dunlea own goal and a tidy Ger Pender finish. Stephen Henderson's side then wasted a succession of chances before pulling a goal back before the break through defender Adam O'Sullivan, setting the stage for Frahill's last gasp leveler.
For Cabo, there was an unfortunate irony in the lateness of the concession given the outcome of their last home game – John McKeown's 95th minute strike earned the boys from the Borough of Dun Laoghaire a point against Finn Harps on that occasion, a goal which granted those with losing betting slips free entry to this clash courtesy of some savvy PR work.
The result means that Cabo remain on the foot of the table on goal-difference, despite Waterford United's 1-0 loss to Shelbourne across the divide at Tolka Park on the same night.
Cabo boss Eddie Gormley was dealt a blow before the game even started when Evan Whelan broke down in the warm-up after suffering from back spasms throughout the day. The former Dublin Minors goalkeeper was forced to pull out, with Cabinteely U17 stopper Sean Hyland stepping in to make his first-team debut.
Though Cobh made a bright start, it was Cabo who took the lead after just nine minutes. Shane O'Neill had a shot at goal which was charged down on the edge of the box by a Cobh defender. O'Neill appealed for handball but Evan Finnegan took on the shot – this took a deflection off Rams midfielder Audi Dunlea which deceived Stephen Hickey in goal and trickled over the line.
Four minutes later, Cobh's problems were compounded when the home side doubled their lead. O'Neill played a smart lofted ball through the centre of the Cobh defence which Ger Pender latched onto. The striker pulled wide of Hickey and finished well into the far corner for this second goal of the season on his 21st birthday.
This jolted Cobh into action and they created a number of chances, the best of which came through Rob Waters. His well struck effort inside the penalty area was tipped onto the near post by Hyland and the Cobh striker could only watch as it spun around and narrowly evaded the far post.
However, the visitors were not to be denied as they duly pulled one back in the 33rd minute. Kynan Rocks, a thorn in the side of Cabo all game, put in a low cross from the left flank that reached Adam O'Sullivan at the back post – the right-back converted with predatory instinct, firing home for his first goal of the campaign.
Cabo thought they had restored their two-goal lead 120 seconds later when O'Neill rose highest to meet a corner – it was a good connection but Stephen Kenny was on hand at the back post to head clear. Cobh, for their part, thought they had levelled matters on the stroke of half-time, but Waters could only sidefoot wide from ten yards.
With twenty minutes played in the second half, both sides almost scored within one minute of each other. Firstly, Waters fired straight at Hyland after a long ball from defence breached the Cabo rearguard. Then, Hickey had to be sharp to tip a fierce shot from Cabo sub Stephen Dunne onto the crossbar.
In the dying minutes of normal time, Cabo had two chances to seal the game which they failed to take.
Finnegan beat Hickey to a bouncing ball on the edge of the box and the Cabo man left the Cobh 'keeper stranded by waltzing 'round him and cutting the ball back from the byline for Conor Foley – but with the goal gaping, the substitute lost his footing and the ball came off his shin and bounced into the arms of a grateful Hickey.
Almost immediately, Hickey was again caught in no-man's land, with Foley this time acting provider to tee up Pender inside the penalty area – with just Eoghan Murphy on the line to beat, Pender fired goalwards but the Cobh defender somehow got a leg out to stop the shot.
That would prove vital as the Rams earned their point in the dying seconds of the match. An O'Connor corner was met by a completely untracked Brendan Frahill who powered home a header at the near post before running off to be buried beneath a pile of jubilant Cobh players.
Cabinteely FC: Sean Hyland; Daniel Campbell (Lloyd Cairns, 81), Victor Ekanem, Kevin Knight, Jamie McGlynn; Shane O'Neill (Stephen Dunne, 41), Aaron Brilly, John McKeown, Stephen Hanley (Conor Foley, 73), Evan Finnegan; Ger Pender.
Subs Not Used: Gavin Fahy, Ross Broderick, Jamie Broderick.
Bookings: Ekanem (21).
Cobh Ramblers: Stephen Hickey; Adam O'Sullivan, Brendan Frahill, Eoghan Murphy, Graham McCarthy; Stephen Kenny, Audi Dunlea (Ryan Goldsmith, 72), Darren Murphy (95); Kynan Rocks, Rob Waters (Ronan Stanton, 83), Shane O'Connor.
Subs Not Used: Eoghan Daly (gk), Dave Curran, Rob Lynch, Chris McCarthy, Steven McCarthy.
Bookings: O'Connor (88).
Referee: Rhona Daly.
Attendance: 500 (estimate).
Extratime Man of the Match: Shane O'Connor (Cobh Ramblers).
