Cobh Ramblers re-sign a host of key players to gear up for 2021

COBH RAMBLERS are very much getting their plans in place for the 2021 League Of Ireland campaign.

Stuart Ashton is in the middle of getting his squad together for what Cobh will hope is another promotion push, after agonisingly missing out on the promotion playoffs in 2020.

Ramblers supporters will be delighted therefore to hear that goalkeeper Sean Barron has signed up until the end of the 2021 season.

Barron joined Cobh Ramblers from Munster Senior League side Avondale United during the summer and made an instant impact, keeping eight clean sheets in total over the latter stages of the 2020 campaign.

Among the highlights was his penalty save during the very impressive victory for Cobh away to eventual First Division champions Drogheda United.

Barron, who won the FAI Intermediate Cup while at Avondale, also in the past had spells with Cork City, Waterford United and the Waterford Gaelic Football team.

Speaking on signing back with Ramblers for next term, Barron feels the St Colman’s Park side can be right in the promotion mix.

“Last year was hugely enjoyable and it went better than I could have expected for me personally, despite the overall disappointment on the final day. We’re definitely a club going in the right direction and I’ve no doubt that we’ll be right up there at the end of the year.

“The first game of the season just can’t come quick enough and I’m really looking forward to it.” 

Darryl Walsh, Stephen O’Leary, Conor Drinan and Martin Coughlan are among the others to have been announced and confirmed for committing to Ramblers for next year.

Drinan, who joined Ramblers last year from Carrigaline United, is also keen to hit the ground running for 2021.

“I’m delighted to sign back for the season ahead. I really enjoyed my first season with Cobh at senior level, and we can’t wait to get going again.” 

Meanwhile, Waterford native Darryl Walsh became a key element in the Ramblers side over the season just concluded.

A man who has featured for Ireland at underage level, Walsh is eagerly awaiting the new season and wants Cobh to go that extra step further in the promotion race “I’ m delighted to be back on board. It was tough to finish up last year by just missing out on the play-offs. But we’ll use that to push on.

“We’re all eager to build on what we did last season and I just can’t wait for the first game to come around.” 

It is understood that Ramblers aim to go back pre-season training in early January and the intentions are very much for Ashton’s side to build on a solid 2020 campaign.