Cobh set sights on Cork youngster
Dave Hill, the manager of First Division side Cobh Ramblers, has set his sights on signing highly-rated young Cork City striker Colin Patrick O’Brien as a replacement for a trio of strikers who have departed since the end of last season.
Willie Bruton, the division’s top scorer two seasons ago when Cobh made the end-of-season play-offs, joined Waterford United in the close-season, Dave Warren returned to Cork after an uninspired loan spell at St Colman’s Park and Jonathan Coker has parted company with Dave Hill’s side.
Those outgoings leave Ramblers with just Kieran O’Reilly as the only recognised front man in the squad for the coming season, which begins on Friday week with a daunting trip north to meet First Division favourites Finn Harps in Ballybofey.
Although team captain Steve YElverton has played up front in the past, and scored in a 2-2 pre-season draw with Cork last week, the Ramblers management will be keen to add to their striking options – and O’Brien, whose chances of making the grade on Leeside look slimmer than slim, tops his list of targets.
John O’Flynn, George O’Callaghan, Kevin Doyle, Neale Fenn and Stephen O’Flynn are all ahead of the 21-year-old in the pecking order at Turners Cross at present, while youngsters Jamie Nolan and Denis Behan are also competing for places, and O’Brien – who burst on the scene with four goals in his first seven appearances for Cork three seasons ago – could opt to leave City in order to kick-start his eircom League career.
