Cobh end barren spell as they claim scalp of league leaders
COBH RAMBLERS dug themselves out of their recent slump when they claimed the scalp of league leaders Bray Wanderers in their eircom First Division clash at St. Colman’s Park yesterday .
In a bizarre four minute spell before the interval, Wanderers saw themselves reduced to 10 men when centre back Bo McKeever was given his marching orders for a foul on Paul Coughlan and also fell behind to a goal from Coughlan right on the half time whistle.

Coughlan’s pace caught the Bray defence napping when he raced onto a booming clearance from goalkeeper, John Donnegan, and with the striker angling towards the Bray danger area, defender Bo McKeever caught him as he ghosted past. Referee Pat Turner flashed the red card at the centre back and Bray were always fighting an uphill battle after this. The resultant free kick was blasted over the crossbar by Donal Golden but Cobh didn’t have to wait long for their numerical superiority to shine through.

Just on the half time whistle, Coughlan again used his pace to great advantage when he burst past the Bray defence to calmly slot the ball past the advancing John Walsh for the game’s opening goal.

"Today’s win was the lift we badly needed, because after gaining just six points from a possible 24 over the last eight games, we definitely needed a big performance and a big commitment from the lads today.
"To be fair, they really came up trumps, and another pleasing aspect is that we managed to keep a clean sheet. We have been conceding bad goals in our recent games when sometimes our concentration lapse, but we kept Bray’s chances to a minimum this afternoon.
"Also on the plus side is that today’s win keeps us in touch with the four teams above us and gives us a good boost ahead of the Dundalk game next week," said Cobh’s John O’Rourke.

Despite the disadvantage of playing with 10 men, the First Division leaders showed all their mettle on the resumption when they went at Cobh with a vengeance, but the fact that they were a man down told against them as Cobh always seemed to have someone in reserve to snuff out the danger almost before it even happened.

Bray’s one real chance of the game come on 65 minutes, when Barry O’Connor was afforded a yard of space on the left wing and he crossed brilliantly for Jason Byrne, whose near post flick went agonisingly over.

Cobh regrouped immediately following this scare and secured the points 10 minutes later when substitute Michael Stapleton saw his cross sliced into his own net by Bray defender Philip Keogh.

© The Examiner