Cobh Ramblers

[ForzaForth]

For anyone interested, it's planned to have audio commentary on tonight's match at the usual link.

www.mixlr.com/wexfordfc

[ForzaForth]

Bizarre game in Ferrycarrig tonight as Wexford finished with nine players, Cobh made the game safe with the last kick of the match, and the referee was the angry focus of most of the Wexford fans as the match ended. Wexford started with Corey, Conor, Owen, Ross, Andy, Mark, Eoin, Mikey, Crokey, Adam and with Aaron up front. Game started quietly enough with Cobh the better passing side and Wexford finding it hard to create anything other than a few good diagonal passes to Adam O’Rourke on the right wing. On five minutes, Cobh had a back-header which went a yard over the cross-bar of Corey Chambers’ goal. Three minutes later, Cobh hit the post but the Cobh attacker who bundled the rebound in was ruled offside. On 13 minutes, Paul Hunt in the Cobh goal didreally well to push away a Wexford free which had curled round the blind-side of his wall. With 22 minutes gone, Cobh went ahead from a corner with a free header after Corey came but didn’t collect. Wexford’s Mark Slater then got a yellow for a tackle just before Adam O’Rourke did his ham-string and was replaced immediately by Dean Kelly. With six to go in the half, ref. showed Mark Slater a straight red for an innocuous kick at an opponent which didn’t look that malicious but hard to know what’s in a player’s mind. Down to ten men, Wexford showed their spirit as Dobbs had a flicked header just wide of the far post. Corey Chambers then redeemed his earlier error by making a good reflex save from a Cobh header close in. Paul Hunt then flattened Dobbs in what looked like a very dangerous high challenge outside the Cobh penalty area but got only a yellow. Not sure if he got any ball or not but probably immaterial given the ferocity of it. Dobbs was able to continue fortunately and played probably his best game for Wexford thus far. Hunt saved the free and 1-0 to Cobh at half-time.

[ForzaForth]

Second half meandered along with Cobh looking comfortable with the extra man but not creating much and Wexford working hard to create a few set-pieces. When Aaron Dobbs could turn and run at the Cobh defence he looked threatening and Cobh picked up a yellow or two when trying to defend against him. Ref then intervened again on 82 minutes when Dobbs ran at the last Cobh defender who applied a reasonably clear last-man foul just outside the box but ref gave only a yellow and a free-kick. Duxey Dunne, who had come on as a Wexford sub, then strongly appealed for a hand-ball inside the Cobh box as Wexford applied some pressure (didn’t see anything myself) and was given a yellow for dissent. A minute later, Duxey tried to tackle a Cobh player who was breaking forward, didn’t appear to make any contact but the Cobh player seemed to dive after the tackle and Wexford were down to nine. Remarkably, Wexford still applied further pressure and Dobbs forced Hunt to handle outside his penalty area but no second yellow was given, just a free, and Cobh still had the two-man advantage. As Wexford went forward to look for an equaliser in the final minutes, Cobh scored in the last minute of injury time with a simple break and Cobh were home on the basis of a 2-0 scoreline. Couldn’t fault Wexford’s spirit on the night as they fought hard to get over what looked like a very raw deal from a poor referee. Best for Wexford were Aaron Dobbs, Mikey Byrne and Ross Kenny. Maybe 220 at the game. Finally, best wishes to Corey Chambers who now departs on a US scholarship. Has represented Canada at some levels already and, if he progresses, could have a serious future between the sticks.