Cobh comeback falls just short
SOCCER
Daire Walsh
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC……………………… 3
COBH RAMBLERS……………………………… 2
COBH RAMBLERS forged a courageous second-half comeback at Richmond Park on Saturday afternoon, before suffering a narrow FAI Cup quarter-final defeat at the hands of St Patrick’s Athletic.
Goals from Christy Fagan, Jamie McGrath and Billy Dennehy ensured that Pat’s brought a 3-0 lead into the interval, but thanks to goals from substitute Connor Ellis and striker Rob Lehane, Ramblers had given themselves a fighting chance during the closing stages.
Cobh had progressed to this stage courtesy of a comprehensive victory over local side Ringmahon Rangers in the third round of the competition, but following their 2-0 triumph against newly-anointed First Division champions Limerick on August 19, the home team were the favourites to advance from this clash.
For their first visit to Inchicore in almost eight years, Cobh lined up in the 3-5-2 formation that manager Stephen Henderson has been deploying in recent weeks, and the visitors certainly frustrated Pat’s during the early exchanges.
The Saints dominated possession for the majority of the opening period, however, and after Ger O’Brien was marginally off-target with a curling effort, they eventually broke the deadlock. Sean Hoare was afforded space on the right-flank in the 15th minute, and the impressive Fagan was on hand to head home his subsequent delivery at the back of the left-hand post.
This was an early hammer blow for Ramblers, and although Jonathan Creamer tested Pat’s netminder Brendan Clarke from distance, the south Dubliners doubled their lead just past the 20-minute mark. An attempted pass into the area by Pat’s full-back Ger O’Brien was cut out by the Cobh defence, but McGrath was in the right place to rifle past Cobh’s Paul Hunt from inside the area.
In spite of the best endeavours of the likes of Eoin McGreevy and Shane O’Connor, the Pat’s attacking trio of Conan Byrne, Fagan and Dennehy combined effectively to register their third goal of the contest on 37 minutes.
Byrne fed Fagan inside the area after some hesitant play from the Cobh rearguard, and after the striker picked out Dennehy with a simple pass, the former Cork City star finished emphatically from close-range.
Ellis and Garry Comerford were introduced upon the resumption – for Stephen Christopher and Creamer respectively – in an effort to kick-start a dramatic recovery, and Ellis had an immediate impact on the play.
Following good work by Lehane three minutes into the half, Ellis was upended in the area by Michael Barker, and he stepped forward to dispatch the resulting spot-kick to the net. This provided Cobh with a much-needed morale boost, and just beyond the hour mark, Cobh reduced the Pat’s advantage to the minimum. Lehane cut inside onto his left-foot, he found the bottom right-hand corner of the helpless Clarke’s goal.
Ramblers were now beginning to build serious momentum against their top-flight opponents, who were left shellshocked by their start to the second period. Fagan did find the net from an excellent Jonathan Lunney delivery after 64 minutes of the action, but for the second time in the contest, Pat’s had a goal ruled out for one of their players being a fraction offside.
This was something of a let-off for Cobh, and the alert Hunt came to his side’s aid by saving a goalbound 25-yard free-kick by Graham Kelly. Yet, Ramblers continued to offer a considerable threat to the Pat’s goal, and skipper Kevin Mulcahy had a spectacular shot cleared off the line by Pat’s midfielder Lee Desmond two minutes from time.
An equalising goal eluded them in the end, but based on their performance in the second-half of this game, Cobh can move forward to this Friday’s league clash against UCD with renewed optimism.
ST PATRICK’S ATHLETIC: Brendan Clarke; Ger O’Brien (Rory Feely 67), Sean Hoare, Michael Barker, Ian Bermingham; Lee Desmond, Graham Kelly; Conan Byrne, Jamie McGrath (Jonathan Lunney 41), Billy Dennehy; Christy Fagan.
COBH RAMBLERS: Paul Hunt; Charlie Flemming, Ben O’Riordan, Chris McCarthy, Kevin Mulcahy, Ian Mylod; Stephen Christopher (Garry Comerford half-time), Shane O’Connor, Eoin McGreevy (Kyle McNamara 79); Rob Lehane, Jonathan Creamer (Connor Ellis half-time).
Referee: Sean Grant (Wexford).