Injuries and bad luck take from Cobh Ramblers' efforts this season

COBH Ramblers were to suffer late defeat on the road away to Cabinteely on Friday night.

It was another occasion for Ramblers of what might have been, who went down to another loss despite another satisfactory performance on occasions in Dublin.

But the table now reads that Ramblers have lost four out of their seven league games, which is perhaps more frustrating that given, apart from the UCD defeat, Cobh have been reasonably competitive in all of their league games.

The St Colman’s Park side currently sit ninth in the First Division table. They are five points clear of bottom-placed side Wexford, but crucially also five points off the promotion playoff places.

Contrast that to Cabinteely, who moved within three points of the top of the table following this win against Cobh.

Assessing the campaign to date, Cobh Ramblers boss Stuart Ashton described how Cobh are a work in progress but acknowledged that the results will need to improve also.

“It is a work in progress and hopefully it will come right. At the end of the day, the result is the most important thing people look at and we have got to address that.

“After every result, we look at those things and go through those things. So we have got to work on them.

“As a group and as a team, whoever is playing on the day has to put that right. We keep saying it, but it is silly things that are catching us. We have got to re-group and put those right.

“At the other end and goals from open play, obviously we want to see more of those. The lads get the analysis of the games and what they can be improving on.” 

Although there is still a long way to go in the league, Ramblers would much rather be higher up in the table than where they currently are.

“No matter what part of the season it is, nobody wants to be at the wrong end and we are no different,” Ashton said.

“Yes, we could have gotten off to a better start this season. For me, we have got to concentrate on getting some consistency in our performances.

Once we start that and once we do that, with a full healthy squad competing for positions then hopefully we can push on from there then.” 

 Indeed, Ramblers have also not been helped one bit by injuries recently. For the game against Cabinteely, Ciaran Griffin, Pierce Phillips, Stephen O’Leary and Regix Madika were among those who missed out. While with former Preston man Charlie Lyons missing through suspension, Naythan Coleman slotted in at centre-back on Friday.

Next up for Ramblers is a clash against Shelbourne at home at St Colman’s Park on Saturday.