WATERFORD United suffered a
single goal defeat for the third week
in succession when they lost to Cobh
Ramblers in St Coleman’s Park on
Friday night last.
A super strike by substitute Darren
Murphy just before the interval was
good enough to win all three points
for the home side.
The hosts opened up the game in
sparkling fashion and almost took the
lead as early as the third minute.
Ryan Goldsmith sent over a cross
from the left which was met at the
back post by Stephen Kenny but he
was unable to keep his shot on target.
Blues midfielder Ross Fitzpatrick
fired in an effort from 20 yards five
minutes later but the Ramblers goalkeeper
Stephen Hickey had no diffculty
holding on to the ball.
The same player was involved on
15 minutes. Aaron O’Connor headed
the ball back to him following a right
wing cross from Bobbi Donoghue but
on this occasion Fitzpatrick shot over
the crossbar.
The hosts missed a sitter on 34
minutes. Shane O’Connor sliced
open the Waterford defence and
Darren Murphy, who had replaced the
injured David Curran after 17 minutes
somehow managed to shot wide
from close range with only Matthew
Connor to beat.
Shane Dineen and Glen Hawe
combined to get the ball to Aaron
O’Connor shortly afterwards but the
Waterford youngster failed to hit the
target from 20 yards.
The only goal of a sub standard
contest arrived on 43 minutes. Former
Waterford player Kynan Rocks cushioned
the ball into the path of Darren
Murphy and the tall substitute atoned
for his earlier miss by hammering the
ball into the roof of the net from 25
yards.
The home side should have doubled
their lead six minutes into the second
half when Shane O’Connor picked
out Brendan Frahill from the right but
the unmarked central defender
headed wide from an advantageous
position.
Waterford almost equalised on 77
minutes. Mark Walsh got space out
on the right flank and he whipped the
ball over to the back post but Aaron
O’Connor somehow contrived to
crack the ball off the woodwork from
five yards. The remainder of the game
saw the hosts run down the clock and
the Blues did not possess the wherewithal
to break down the dogged
home side.
COBH RAMBLERS: Stephen Hickey, Adam
O’Sullivan, Shane O’Connor, Kevin Mulcahy,
Brendan Frahill, Graham McCarthy, Stephen Kenny,
Chris McCarthy, Kynan Rocks, David Curran, Ryan
Goldsmith.
SUBS: Darren Murphy for Curran (17 mins) Rob
Waters for Rocks (80 mins)
WATERFORD UNITED: Matthew Connor,
Dean Reidy, Shaun Corcoran, Patrick Fitzgerald,
Shane Dineen, Ethan Boyle, Bobbi Donoghue, Ross
Fitzpatrick, Willie John Kiely, Glen Hawe, Aaron
O’Connor.
SUBS: Shane Mackey for Fitzgerald (46 mins)
Mikie Rowe for Kiely (58 mins) Mark Walsh for
Donoghue (65 mins)
REFEREE: Eoghan O’Shea. Assistants. Adam
Tzsmple, Dave Keeler.
