League Report: Cobh Ramblers 0 – 1 Bray Wanderers

General view of St Colman's Park

General view of St Colman's Park Credit: Steve Alfred (ETPhotos)

A stunning goal ten minutes from time from substitute Darragh Lynch secured all three points for Bray Wanderers in an entertaining game at St Colman’s Park in Cobh on Friday night.

It was a game that Cobh might well believe they deserved to win, having created the majority of the goal-scoring chances, but it was also a match that might not have taken place at all.

A fire in a local substation rendered the ground devoid of electricity and, as darkness enveloped the hilltop venue, the prospect of a cancellation lay in the hands of a crack ESB swat-team that had been sent to repair the damage. With only minutes to spare the engineers saved the day, plunging Cobh’s ground into bright light.

The game kicked off half an hour late and Cobh started positively, working with wit and energy to feed striker Beineon O’Brien Whitmarsh. 

Bray on the other hand began with a strategy that depended on long, high balls that were mostly food and drink to centre-backs Harlain Mbayo and Ben O’Riordan.

The first clear chance came to O’Riordan on 14 minutes. He headed high and wide from close range after Jason Abbott had delivered a corner deep into the Bray penalty area. Four minutes later three Bray defenders combined to shut down O’Brien after he’d been played through by Danny O’Connell.

At the other end Bray came more into things after 20 minutes or so, and Rob Manley hit a shot on the turn on 29 minutes that Andrew O’Donoghue did well to get down and save. This close call precipitated a response from the hosts and three good chances followed in quick succession.

On 30 minutes Danny O’Connell teed up O’Brien but he shot wide from the edge of the box. One minute later O’Brien was played through the middle and held off his marker to shoot narrowly wide. And one further minute on Conor Drinan broke through on the left and forced an excellent save from Bray ‘keeper, Stephen McGuinness.

Full back Jack Larkin created another opening down the left on 29 minutes and on 41 minutes Seagull defender Kevin Knight whipped the ball off O’Brien’s toe as he prepared to shoot.

Half-time would have come as a relief to the Wanderers and indeed they began the second period in much better form, commanding the first 15 minutes. But too often the efforts of both teams descended into a frantic game of pinball.



On the hour Cobh burst forwards in the person of Drinan who forged an excellent diagonal run from left to right before stopping, checking back and rifling a low shot just wide of McGuinness’s right hand post.

This signalled Cobh’s return to the contest and four minutes later Mbayo headed a Jason Abbott corner against Bray’s back post. Seconds later Bray should have scored when Kurtis Byrne was played through and O’Donoghue saved what looked like a certain goal.

From this point on, either team could have won it. Daragh Levingston brought a terrific save from O’Donoghue on 67 minutes, and four minutes later O’Brien played Danny O’Connell in on goal only for McGuinness to deny him with a fine stop.

In the 80th minute the breakthrough came. Darragh Lynch spun past his marker and raced towards goal, unleashing a ferocious shot from 25 yards out that flew past O’Donoghue and into the top right corner of the Cobh goal.

Now it was the home side’s turn to hand everything over to the long ball, firing numerous balls towards the Bray goal from too far out to cause any real threat.

Bray managed the final minutes well and when the final whistle sounded they had earned their win, though Cobh’s disappointment will sting.



Cobh Ramblers: Andrew O’Donoghue; John Kavanagh, Ben O’Riordan, Harlain Mbayo, Jack Larkin; Danny O’Connell, Dale Holland, Jason Abbott (Nathan O’Connell 83), Conor Drinan; Jake Hegarty (Ciaran Griffin 33 (Sean McGrath 72)), Beineon O’Brien Whitmarsh.

Subs Not Used: Daryl Walsh, Justin Eguailor, James McCarthy, Issa Kargbo, Alan Happi, Daragh Burke.

Bray Wanderers: Stephen McGuinness; Dean Zambra, Hugh Douglas, Jack Hudson, Kevin Knight; Zak O’Neill (Callum Thompson 67), Daragh Levingston, Vilius Labutis, Paul Fox; Kurtis Byrne (Daragh Lynch 67); Rob Manley.

Subs Not Used: Michael Kelly (gk), Daniel Blackbyrne, Sean Callan, Eoin McPhillips, Conor Knight, Dean Casey.

Referee: Eoghan O’Shea

Attendance: 1,240

Extratime Player of the Match: Conor Drinan (Cobh Ramblers)

    About Simon O'Gorman

    Simon O'Gorman began reporting for Extratime in 2010. He remembers Milltown and Flower Lodge and, back in the mists of time, saw Diego Maradona play at Lansdowne Road. He now lives in Co Kildare and … View Full Profile