Report: Cobh Ramblers 0 - 0 Cork City
Credit:
The first Derby game between Cork’s two Senior league football clubs in 13 seasons ended in a predictable draw at a packed St. Coleman’s park last night. It was a desperately disappointing way for the game to finish up. With neither side showing the necessary skills to open up somewhat nervous, but generally solid defences – the final result was never really in doubt here, yet both keepers had to make late, great saves to keep the contest even.
There was no doubting the importance of the game locally. St Coleman’s Park was almost full half an hour before kick off and an excellent atmosphere was created by both sets of vocal supporters.
Looking back – this was a game that badly needed an early goal and despite giving away most of the possession to the visitors it was the home side that seemed most likely to open the scoring. Early chances fell to Davin O’Neill and the outstanding Graham Cummins after 3 and 10 minutes respectively. But O’Neill failed to trouble Devine after Kieran O’Reilly’s cross fell awkwardly to him and Cummins blasted over when put through by Shane Barrett.
The game had a largely scrappy opening with plenty of mistakes, and in particular Michael Devine in the Cork goal was having difficulty clearing his lines from the large amount of back passes he was receiving from the City back four. It was from one of these miscues that Cobh engineered a sustained period of pressure after sixteen minutes and Danny Murphy had to be sharp in the City area in clearing an excellent cross by O’Neill, this after O’Neill had beat two City defenders in a mazy dribble.
City themselves while having the majority of possession failed to create much but James McCarthy had to be sharp in the Ramblers goal after he blocked O’Flynn’s snapshot, after the Cobh defence failed to deal with a City long ball after 20 mins.
Devine was the focal point again after 26 minutes -he went to gather a long ball which ended up at his left hand corner of the box – his attempted pass across goal was miscued in the direction of the empty net and only Dan Murray’s intervention stopped an embarrassing own goal.
Cork City came out a different side in the second half and totally dominated the early second half exchanges. However not once during this period did they test McCarthy in the Cobh goal – with off-target efforts from John O’Flynn and Joe Gamble the best City had to offer.
Cobh by and large weathered the storm and they had a great chance on 65 minutes when Alan Carey’s excellent free kick was flicked towards goal by Cummins and Devine gathered the shot at the second time of asking.
The game seemed to be fizzling out to the predictable end with both sides trying to make the impact substitution that would change the game. But it was both goalkeepers that would have the final say on the night – Firstly it was McCarthy who produced two great saves to deny George O’Callaghan, the second one was the pick of the two, where the Cobh net minder got down low to his right to save a blistering shot from the Cork midfielder with 88 minutes on the clock
The Ramblers, will then have considered themselves a little unlucky not to get the winner themselves in the dying moments with Michael Devine smartly turned substitute Ken Coleman’s effort around the post.
Cobh Ramblers: James McCarthy, Alan Carey (Ken Coleman 74), Kevin Murray, Shane Guthrie (Conor Meade 75), John Meade; Michael Mulconroy, Shane Barrett (Alan Kearney 80), John Kearney, Davin O’Neill; Graham Cummins, Kieran O’Reilly.
Subs not used: Alan King, Ray Lally.
Booked: Cummins (24), J. Kearney (44).
Cork City: Michael Devine; Neal Horgan, Dan Murray, Cillian Lordan, Danny Murphy; Colin Healy, Joe Gamble, George O'Callaghan, Liam Kearney (Gareth Farrelly 84); John O’Flynn (Denis Behan 62), Dave Mooney.
Subs not used: Mark McNulty, Pat Sullivan, Dave Mulcahy.
Booked: Mooney (61).
Referee: Anthony Buttimer.
Attendance: 4,000 (estimate).
