Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
League Preview: Cabinteely -v- Cobh Ramblers
- Dave Donnelly
- Fri, Sep 25 2015
CABINTEELY
Cabinteely welcome Cobh Ramblers to Stradbrook Park (kick-off 7.45pm) knowing they have only three games left to avoid finishing their first season in the League of Ireland rock bottom in the First Division.
Cabo returned to last place for the first time since June as a result of Cory Galvin's late winner in Waterford last week, with Roddy Collins' United leapfrogging the south Dublin side as a result.
Eddie Gormley will be looking to finish the season strongly, but may find the visit of Athlone Town on the final day – or even a visit to a UCD side preparing for a gruelling play-off – better opportunities to pick up a win than the visit of Stephen Henderson's consistent Ramblers.
COBH RAMBLERS
Cobh Ramblers face into the final three fixtures in the improbable – considering they lost their opening four games of the season by a combined score of 13-1 – position of still having a mathematical chance of finishing in the top half.
That almost certainly won't happen as it would require Shelbourne to lose all three games and a goal difference swing of 14, but stranger things have certainly happened, with the two sides set to meet at Tolka Park on the final day.
Since Stephen Henderson took the reins at the end of March, Cobh's steady climb up the table has been rooted in their form against the teams around them in the bottom half – since a 2-2 draw in this fixture in the second series of games, they've won every single encounter with another bottom-four team.
Referee: Michael Connolly.
MATCH STATS
Cabinteely and Cobh Ramblers have met three times this season (and, indeed, three times ever) with the County Cork side holding the advantage across the three meetings.
Cobh's first win of the season came in a 1-0 victory at St Colman's Park (Rob Waters the scorer) and they edged the repeat encounter 2-1, either side of the aforementioned 2-2 at Stradbrook Park.
BETTING
Cabinteely 7/4; Draw 11/5; Cobh Ramblers 11/8.
PREDICTION
Cabinteely 2 – 2 Cobh Ramblers
Cabinteely
Injured: Unknown.
Doubtful: Unknown.
Suspended: None.
Cobh Ramblers
Injured: Unknown.
Doubtful: Unknown.
Suspended: None.
