Mid-term report card: Cobh Ramblers improving slowly under Gary Hunt 

A winter of discontent has turned into a summer of optimism, and Cobh Ramblers dream of playing in the promotion play-offs at the mid-way point of the season under new manager Gary Hunt.

This isn’t an unrealistic target for the club over the next few months, they are currently ranked seventh in the table and five points from fifth placed Finn Harps.

This is a huge achievement for a team that was gutted in the offseason, and left to pick up the pieces without a manager after Shane Keegan resigned from his position.

The uncertainty preceded one of the greatest seasons in Cobh’s recent history as they reached the promotion play-off final, and beat Cork City in the Munster Senior Cup final at Turner’s Cross.

After such a peak, came the inevitable exodus. 

Wilson Waweru went back to Galway United and signed for Sligo Rovers. Jack Doherty and Charlie Lyons crossed the divide and joined Cork City. Lee Steacy was recruited by reigning League of Ireland champions Shamrock Rovers.

Shane Keegan resignation hit the club the hardest, as it meant the board needed a figure to build on what came before while starting a whole new project at St Colman’s Park.

Hunt was recruited just weeks after helping Waterford beat Cork City in the promotion/relegation play-off final, and his first game was a 4-2 victory over College Corinthians in the Round of 16 in the Munster Senior Cup at the Stephen Ireland Astro. 

This was followed by some hard fought results in the league, with one of the first being a 1-0 victory over Finn Harps in Ballybofey.

The new coach hasn’t had it all his own way. Cobh have struggled to win games on a regular basis and there is a real fear amongst the supporters that a number of early season draws will mean the club misses out on a place in the play-offs, a feeling people remember all too well after goal difference put Galway United into fifth place at the end of the 2020 season.

There’s also the way his side lost their first three meetings with Cork City. This once a competitive fixture, has turned into a lopsided rivalry which is a far cry from their meetings in the 2022 season. 

Those derbies had a bite and there was a competitive edge, even if the venue for the derby was Turner’s Cross.

Despite this, things are looking up for Cobh. They are actually competing, as opposed to fighting to stay off the bottom of the table. 

There is a real level of consistency across the board, especially over the last two seasons.

The main reason for this is that Hunt possess a settled squad that has experienced players in every position.

Matthew McKevitt is one of those, even though he joined from Avondale United during the summer transfer window in 2023. 

The forward is one of the club’s top goal-scorer this year, with six tallied in 18 games, and he is tied with David Bosnjak.

At the other end of the pitch, Breandán Frahill is the heart of the defence and Darragh Burke seamlessly slotted into the absence vacated by Steacy. 

These working parts are backed up by the U20s, who are slowing stepping up to the first team after playing in the Underage National Leagues.

This was on show for all to season during a 2-0 victory over Finn Harps at St Colman’s Park. Six U20 players were involved and two, Glenn Towler and Luka Le Bervet, saw first team action. 

David Eguaibor, Dan Ryan, Shane O'Neill and Oscar Ahern were all on the bench, making things even better from a supporters point of view.

But what’s the end goal? There’s so many possibilities, it is hard to tell with so many games left to play. 

Cobh have a realistic chance of playing in the play-offs and going on a run in the FAI Cup, something not done at St Colman’s Park since 2016, should they navigate a tricky home tie with Kerry FC in the second round next month.

This where the club should be, not fighting to stay off the bottom of the table but properly competing.