Friendly Report: Cobh Ramblers 0 - 4 Cork City

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Cork City knocked four past local rivals Cobh Ramblers in a pre-season friendly at St Colman’s Park on Saturday afternoon with new loan signing Eoghan O’Connell among the goals.

Having arrived from Celtic during the week, O’Connell took his place in the centre of City’s back four, which was rarely put under pressure during a game in which the difference in the clubs’ league status was plain to see.

The Leesiders will be hoping to mount another challenge for the Premier Division title in 2016 and took to the field without established stars such as Mark O’Sullivan, Alan Bennett, Greg Bolger and John Kavanagh, while Mark McNulty, Gearoid Morrissey, Kenny Browne and Sean Maguire made do with a place on the visitor's bench.

Cobh started with Rob Lehane and Shane O’Connor up front but the difficulty was in getting the ball up to them for, despite the robust efforts of Anthony O’Donnell on the left, the Ramblers’ midfield was overwhelmed and seldom succeeded in dictating the play.

City’s opener came after just 13 minutes when referee Graham Kelly awarded a penalty for a late challenge on Danny Morrissey, just as the young striker fired a shot over the Ramblers bar. Veteran Colin Healy stepped up to fire the spot kick low into the corner.

Cork were in complete control and the only surprise was that it took until the 44th minute for them to add a second. Garry Buckley had come close with a 25 yarder that dipped just over on 23 minutes, and the same man drove a low ball across the Cobh goalmouth without it finding a taker on 39 minutes. But, just one minute from the break, Buckley prodded into an open goal following excellent build up play from Danny Morrissey and Karl Sheppard. 

For the second half, Ramblers changed their entire midfield, bringing Jacub Buris, Jason Abbott, Ian Mylod and Evan Galvin into the fray, while City brought on their American trialist Kyle McLeod. The home side’s changes worked well with Buris offering more danger on the right and Abbott putting in a powerful performance in the holding role. Sadly for the Rams this didn’t translate into goals and it was the Premier Division side that went further ahead on 65 minutes.

Craig Donnellan, former captain of City’s U19 side, had already put in an impressive shift when he drilled in a free kick from the right that was met by the head of Eoghan O’Connell. The ball flew across Paul Hunt in the Rams goal and into into the far corner to end any notion of a positive result for the home team.

Ramblers sent on Andy O’Connell and Markus Gustavsson while City gave some game time to Ogbene Chiedozie, who proceeded to give Chris McCarthy a belated fitness test as the Ramblers full back pulled out all the stops to keep the young winger in check.

But a fourth did come for the visitors with 18 minutes left to play. The impressive McLeod found himself in possession just inside the Ramblers’ half and he slipped a perfect ball through the cover for Sheppard to run onto. One-on-one with Hunt, the forward held his nerve to chip past the Cobh keeper, giving the ball just enough momentum to make it over the goal line.

Ramblers might have claimed the consolation their efforts deserved when, three minutes from time, Abbott walloped a long distance shot off the City bar with Alan Smith beaten, but a 4-0 win for the visitors was a fair reflection of their superiority.

Cobh Ramblers: Paul Hunt; Graham McCarthy (Adam O’Sullivan 26), James Furlong (Andy O’Connell 56), David Curran, Chris McCarthy; Eoin McGreevy (Jacub Buris 46), Stephen Griffin (Evan Galvin 46), Cian Kingston (Jason Abbott 46), Anthony O’Donnell (Ian Mylod 46); Rob Lehane, Shane O’Connor (Markus Gustavsson 60).

Subs not used: Eoghan Daly.

Booked: Shane O’Connor (18).

Cork City: Alan Smith; Conor McCarthy, Michael McSweeney, Eoghan O’Connell (Ogbene Chiedozie 67), John Dunleavy (Kyle McLeod 46); Garry Buckley, Colin Healy, Craig Donnellan; Danny Morrissey, Karl Sheppard, Stephen Beattie.

Subs not used: Mark McNulty (gk), Ian Turner, Gearoid Morrissey, Kenny Browne, Sean Maguire, Gavan Holohan.

Booked: None.

Referee: Graham Kelly

Attendance: 400 (estimate)

Extratime Man of the Match: Garry Buckley (Cork City)