Cobh Ramblers 4

Kerry FC 1

COBH RAMBLERS are back up to third in the First Division after a commanding 4-1 victory over Kerry FC at St Colman’s Park on Monday evening.

The result ends their four game winless run, a streak that saw the club collect just one point from a possible twelve.

Shane Keegan’s team scored inside three minutes through Wilson Waweru and they never once relented with Tiernan O’Brien, Charlie Lyons, and Liam Kervick polishing their performance.

Before all of this, they had to deal with an early corner after Trpimir Vrljicak chipped the ball over the top to Sean McGrath. 

The ball was put out for a corner and Leonardo Gaxha’s set piece was headed away at the front post by Jason Abbott.

The Ramblers broke down the right and a decent run by Tiernan O’Brien ended with the ball going out for a goal-kick. 

Callan Scully took this and Waweru got in the way of the ball for Cobh. He ran into the box and rolled in the opening goal of the game.

Kerry tried to respond with Cian Barrett picking out Gaxha inside the area, and Michael McCarthy got in the way of this as the winger tried to control the ball.

Vrljicak was the next player in green and white to try something, and he hit the ball just over after a run down the right flank.

Waweru managed to get through on goal once Cobh got back up the pitch, and Scully got low to deny the striker at the Liam McMahon Stand. 

The goalkeeper also reacted to prevent the corner by getting to the loose ball before anyone else on the pitch.

Kerry then started getting through the Cobh line and forcing chances, with Vrljicak setting up Ryan Kelliher and his attempt from outside the area was blocked by the Ramblers defence.

The Ramblers doubled their lead through a Jason Abbott corner with exactly half an hour played. 

Scully tried to punch the ball away but it fell down and into the path of Tiernan O’Brien, who fired in from close range.

Cobh opened up the second half with another corner and Charlie Lyons guided this in at the back post.

Kerry manager Billy Dennehy then brought on Nathan Gleeson and Matthew Keane and they had an instant impact. 

The visitors started holding the ball, and this led to a number of chances. The best they could do was a bicycle kick from Gaxha that hit the crossbar.

Cobh beat the pressure by going long and this led to Claudio Osorio teeing up Kervick to slide in the fourth goal in the 74th minute.

Kelliher did give the Kerry fans something to take home with them after he knocked in a ball from McGrath at the 82nd minute.

Cobh Ramblers: Lee Steacy; Michael McCarthy, Brendan Frahill, Charlie Lyons, Wilson Waweru, Conor Drinan, Luke Desmond, Claudio Osorio, Dale Holland, Tiernan O’Brien, Jason Abbott.

Subs: Callum Stringer for Holland (60), Liam Kervick for Brien (72), Jake Hegarty for Waweru (77), Darragh O’Sullivan Connell for Desmond (78), Darragh Burke for Steacy (79).

Kerry FC: Callan Scully; Robert Vasiu, Sean McGrath, Ryan Killher, Leonardo Gaxha, Sean Kennedy, Kevin Williams, Samuel Aladesanusi, Trpimir Vrljicak, Cian Barrett, Ronan Teehan.

Subs: Nathan Gleeson for Vrljicak (55), Matthew Keane for Teahan (55), Alex Ainscough for Gaxha (69), Kennedy Amechi for Kennedy (83).

Referee: Mark Patchell.