Shane Keegan credits Ramblers fans after first leg win over Wexford 

AS Cobh Ramblers came away from Wexford after taking a 1-0 aggregate lead from the first leg of their First Division playoff semi-final, manager Shane Keegan was delighted with the performance of his side.

“If I'm completely honest, I would have taken a draw coming away from here,” Keegan admits. “Because a draw away from home in a two-legged game is probably good enough.

“So, to be even ahead of that, you'd have to be fairly happy at the moment, but it is literally only half a job done. I think what tonight showed is that yet again, there's absolutely nothing between the sides. 

I think both teams had a few half chances, we managed to take one of ours that was the only difference.

“They absolutely worked their socks off, they really did. We spoke in the dressing room before the game about how on the bigger occasion, sometimes you're kind of putting pressure on yourself to have the game of your life, and that's unrealistic.

“Like all you can really do is focus on the things that you can control,” he explains. “And one thing you can control, is your work rate. So, you can decide that ‘Okay, I've worked hard all season, but tonight I'm going to hit a new high’ and I think almost every player on the pitch did that.” 

FINE MARGINS

On whether Cobh would come to rue not having scored more in what was a strong performance, Keegan replies; “At the same time, I thought Wexford had a couple of decent half chances.

“We had a couple of last-ditch blocks and tackles. Lee [Steacy]’s save early on is so crucial, because if they get their heads in front, you never know what way it goes. So, you always see things through your own eyes, and you tend to think of missed opportunities, but I definitely felt they had a few missed opportunities too.” 

Dean Larkin filled in at centre-back for the absent Brendan Frahill, and his performance was eye catching to say the least, further emphasising the Rams’ strength in depth. “He was excellent. We know he has that in him, and he's just been unfortunate there’s a couple slightly ahead of him in the pecking order who’ve been playing really well and consistently.

“Dean started the last two games, and even though he's not a player that people would have expected to start tonight, he had started the last two games which put him in a really good position to deliver the performance that he delivered tonight.

“We couldn’t have asked for any more of him, I thought he was in our top two three players. He was excellent.” 

One thing that stood out for the Rams on Tuesday night was their incredible away support, and that bodes well for tonight’s home clash as they look to make it to the next stage of the playoffs.

“They were absolutely outstanding tonight, they really were,” says Keegan. “They matched if not outdone the opposition support, and to be fair to them, they [Wexford] came out in force as well.

“I'll tell you what makes a massive difference. [Jason] Abbott giving away a ball, Abbo gives away a sloppy pass, and the response from the crowd is to start singing, ‘he's one of our own, he's one of our own’. That will naturally lift a player, the player probably has their head down after giving away the ball, and it does give you that extra boost of energy. They played their role big time.”