IN what turned out to be one of the last matches played in Ireland prior to the postponement of football due to the COVID19 outbreak, Cobh Ramblers progressed to the second round of the EA Sports Cup after a penalty shootout against UCC at the Mardyke.

Cian Leonard had put Ramblers into the lead early in extra time, before UCC equalized through an Owen Collins strike from outside the box to take the game to penalties.

In the shootout, it was Cobh who came out on top, with Leonard, Pierce Phillips, Adam Foley and Charlie Lyons all scoring their spot-kicks to see Ramblers progress.

“It was a tough game on the night with extra time and penalties,” said Ramblers boss Stuart Ashton to The Echo when reflecting on the clash with UCC.

“I think the game deserved a draw on the night. But that wasn’t to be because someone had to go through.

“It was a closely contested game and the two teams were well matched. From our point of view, we were the lucky ones that got through on the penalties.”

The result means that Ramblers are now into the last 16 stage of the EA Sports Cup, a competition which saw them go on a memorable run to the final two years ago.

In 2018, Cobh overcame Wexford, Limerick, Longford and most famously Dundalk in the semi-final at St Colman’s Park, to book their place in the decider against Derry City at the Brandywell.

Although Derry came out on top that day, the then managed Stephen Henderson Cobh side produced a spirited display and gave a good account of themselves.

Ashton was the Cobh assistant boss during that EA Sports Cup run of 2018 and he wants the Ramblers side of 2020 to target a decent run in the cups, both this competition and also the FAI Cup.

“Two years ago we had a great cup run, taking us to the final. So hopefully we can do something similar in either of the cups.

“For us as a First Division team, you have to have the rub of the green and the luck of the draw so to speak when you get one of the so-called big boys.

“If you are going to win these competitions, you are going to have to beat the best teams somewhere along the line.

“In any competition, we are in, we want to get to the final and obviously win it.

“That is easier said than done as we all know. But we will be looking for runs in both the EA Sports Cup and FAI Cup. So we will be looking for that and hopefully, we can get something out of the cup competitions as well.”