Shane Keegan: "We need to make Colman's a fortress from now until the end of the season"

AFTER putting up a very strong first half performance against Galway United, Cobh Ramblers manager Shane Keegan was left bitterly disappointed as his side went on to lose the tie 4-1.

“Frustration is probably the overriding feeling,” Shane begins. “Because we were so good in the first, but we didn't get anywhere near that level in the second-half really. We started reasonably well all right, but they're just relentless.

“They never stop, they keep coming. Our concentration levels were sky high in the first half, and that's why we managed to keep them out, and then in the second-half they weren't, simple as.

“You look at the second goal, I would argue all three central midfielders made a mistake for the second goal. Dale [Holland] miskicks the initial ball, [Jason] Abbott doesn't get enough on the second ball, and then Dean [Larkin] gets dragged too far over and it allows Borden to have as much time as he has.

“Then the third goal, I mean they scored that free kick twice last week, and we've shown them [the players] that they've scored that free kick twice last week,” he says. “We've specifically spoken about in training, and yet we managed to concede to it again, which was just so frustrating.

“We shouldn't have found ourselves in that position for Borden to be getting that strike,” Keegan explains. “A lot happened before it got to that stage. I just think we kind of created our own downfall, but that's what they [Galway] do.

“I think the goal is arguably our best team goal of the season in terms of the amount of passes and the passing it from back to front. From [Brendan] Frahill’s first touch all the way up to Jack [Doherty]’s header. It's a brilliant, brilliant team goal.

Look, we'll learn a few lessons from it. Games away to Galway, that's not going to decide where you finish in league table.

“Don’t get me wrong, it's not like there were no positives out tonight. Charlie Lyons might have made three clearances off the line in the first half. It's just utterly ridiculous. It was McKevitt’s first start of the season, I thought he was outstanding first half.

“I thought he tired a bit in the second, but there were a lot of positives. Jack was a constant thorn in their side all night. Every time he had it and ran at them, they looked like they were in trouble.

With no time to sit in sorrow, Keegan explains the importance of the final eight games as Cobh push on to maintain a playoff spot.

“It's going to be very, very tight from now to the end of the season, there's absolutely no doubt about it,” he says. “Wexford always struck me as a team that were going to make a serious push. With the quality they have in that side, they should be top four probably, truth be told.

“It's up to us to show that we’re not there under any false pretences, and that we belong where we are in the table. If we could win next Friday night that would be a huge step towards doing that.

“We've eight games left. I think five of the eight are at home. So, we need to make Colman's a fortress from now until the end of the season to if we want to finish third or fourth spot.”