The new Cobh Ramblers manager comes from a goalkeeping dynasty but the custodian to catch Stephen Henderson’s eye during his first game in charge at Saint Coleman’s Park this evening must have been Bray’s Chris O’Connor whose flying save to thwart Jonathon Coker ten minutes into the second half was instrumental in securing promotion points for the Seagulls.
His own keeper, the recently restored David Hennessey, gave pause for thought.
Returned from Waterford with a question mark over his ability to deal with crosses, Hennessey was rooted to his line for Grogan’s corner from the left and could only watch as Coker dived to power a header into his own goal from the edge of the six yard area. Only eight minutes had passed but it was the visitors’ second goal, Eamon Zayed taking advantage of an unforced error from Falvey to pounce, shimmy and side step the keeper to notch the evening’s opener after four.
A visit to Cobh, left behind by time off the road to Cork, always has a surreal element. The programme welcomed the club’s new manager but displayed his predecessor’s name in the Club Directory immediately below. It billed the evening’s visitors as Sligo Rovers, Ramblers last home opponents, “but it’s all right at the back,” explained the programme seller. The Cobh squad displayed there showed signs of Mr Henderson’s new broom. With Cuthbert, Moore and O’Donovan despatched, Wolfe only present in print, Tynan relegated to the bench, and Murphy, Brosnan and Cummins all suspended, it was an occasion to welcome some Cobh old boys back to the fold. But with a blustery wind playing tricks with the ball under indifferent floodlighting (I counted seven failed lamps on one side of the ground) it looked set to be a long grey evening for them after those gift-laden opening eight minutes.
But thoughts of a titanic disaster faded as the first half progressed and Wanderers failed to take advantage of some fairly inept defending to find themselves losing control. Yet O’Connor’s goal was rarely threatened. The Australian teenager had to look sharp to punch away Coker’s cross and when O’Reilly took a similar route down the right to spear the ball dangerously across the face of the Bray goal it was too quick for the lumbering Lougheed, whose performance would seem to indicate the previous manager might have been wise to restrict him to the bench. But half time arrived with the Seagulls still in the comfort zone.
Cobh had the majority of possession in the second period but, for the most part, failed to take advantage. And although Hennessey was only directly called upon once the home goal had a couple of near misses with the keeper helpless. The first of these came after 53 minutes when Meade’s weak headed clearance fell to the unmarked Kieran O’Brien who blasted the chance over the bar. Then, with fifteen minutes left, Jody Lynch, up for Grogan’s left wing corner, headed narrowly wide at the far post.
Ramblers’ chance to rescue the game came in a twenty minute spell after the interval. O’Connor’s save from Coker was inspiring and on the hour the young keeper had to stretch and twist to keep Yelverton’s corner on the left out at the expense of a corner on the opposite flank. O’Connor was again involved in the goalmouth scramble that followed and the siege was eventually lifted by the referee’s award of a free kick. In the 69th minute a sweet pass from Sweeney set Yelverton away on the right and when the Cobh skipper skipped round Farrell and fired in a fierce cross shot, the diving O’Connor could only deflect the ball onto the head of the oncoming Lougheed but he could only head the ball tamely against the post when it seemed easier to score.
It was left to Kieron O’Reilly to fulfil that function when, released by a well-weighted through ball he ran on to smash the ball past O’Connor after 71 minutes. Two minutes earlier O’Connor had made another fine stop, diving full length to hold on to Warren’s ground shot. After the goal, however, Ramblers failed to press home their advantage and their evening was summed up by Kieron O’Reilly who managed to get himself booked for dissent despite winning the assistant’s decision with regard to a disputed throw in. Bray played out the remaining quarter of an hour without too much difficulty, even taking the opportunity to give young Michael Roche his senior debut before referee Doyle blew for the end of hostilities, leaving Mr Henderson to wonder whether, despite the programme seller’s optimism, things really are “all right at the back”.
Brian de Salvo
COBH RAMBLERS:1 David Hennessey;2 Michael Mulconry,4 Colin Falvey,5 Willie Byrne, 3 John Meade; 8 Steve Yelverton (capt), 7 David Warren (16 Michael Hastings 81 mins), 6 Brendan Sweeney, 11 Eoghan Lougheed(13 Tony Tynan 67 mins); 9 Kieron O’Reilly, 10 Jonathon Coker (14 Michael O’Shea,.
Subs not used : 12 Terry White, 15 Conor Meade.
BRAY WANDERERS: 1 Chris O’Connor; 2 Stephen Gifford, 4 Jody Lynch, 5 Wesley Charles, 3 Maurice Farrell; 9 Eamon Zayed, 6 Eddie Gormley (capt), 8 Colm James (12 Paul O’Reilly 68 mins), 7 Ciaran Ryan (14 Keith Long 90 mins);10 Kevin Grogan (13 Mick Roache 90 mins), 11 Kieran O’Brien.
