Cobh Ramblers target fourth straight league win against UCD

Cobh Ramblers will aim to record their fourth consecutive league win when they face UCD at St Colman’s Park this evening, kick-off 7:45pm.

Mick McDermott and his players will go into this game second in the table, six points from Dundalk.

The Ramblers are also out to bounce back from last week’s 2-0 defeat to Kerry in the FAI Cup at Mounthawk Park, a night made worse by the dismissals of John O’Donovan and captain Shane Griffin.

The coaching staff had a lot to think about over the last seven days, while UCD go into this league game with two weeks rest.

With this in mind, McDermott expects a proper ‘game of football’ between two teams known for possession and scoring goals.

“They are a good team to play – they are a good footballing team,” McDermott told The Echo.

“It is a good place to play and our place is a good football pitch. So look, it will be a game of football. 

"There’s no doubt about it. I’m looking forward to the game and I’m sure they are too.” 

This will be the fourth meeting between the two teams this season and Cobh will go into tonight’s encounter with an unbeaten record against their Dublin rivals after recording two wins and a draw so far in 2025.

This started last February in Belfield, on a night that saw Cian Murphy score from close range after the ball dropped to the forward from a free-kick. 

Eanna Clancy replied in the dying seconds of normal time with a stunning strike that went beyond the reach of Timothy Martin, and the points where shared in the capital.

Their second meeting was on Good Friday at St Colman’s Park, and Cobh were at a much different point in their season.

The Ramblers were desperate for form after losing three in a row for the first time all year, with the most damaging result a 1-0 defeat to Dundalk at Oriel Park.

The Ramblers gave everything in a bid to steady the ship and their reward was a 1-0 win, curtsey of a Cian Bargary goal in the 58th minute.

Cobh were more expressive on their return to Belfield and with that came a comfortable 3-0 victory in Dublin.

Samuel Bellis kicked things off by pressing high and picking the pocket off Niall Holohan on the edge of the penalty area in the sixth minute. 

The forward squared to Murphy, who was able to set up Barry Coffey for a close-range strike that Dara Kavanagh had no chance of getting to.

The second goal came from a long spell in possession and Bellis finished that off with a sublime strike.

Coffey rounded out the win in the 39th minute by getting under a Jonas Hakkinen cross and heading the ball in.

The Students are now comfortably in the play-off places, with 42 points collected from 27 games.

Will O’Connor’s side are also in form, with just one defeat recorded in their last four outings.

That was against Dundalk at Belfield on the Friday of the bank holiday weekend.

The Students trailed 1-0 at the break that night through a late Daryl Horgan goal and they had a chance to equalise in the 89th minute with a penalty that Adam Brennan stepped up to take. 

Enda Mingoue stopped the shot with his foot and the loose ball was scrambled away as UCD chased an equaliser with the clock in the red.

The Students picked themselves up by maximising their return from games with Athlone Town and Wexford.

Their visit to Cobh isn’t the biggest tie of the evening, that tag belongs to Treaty United and Dundalk at the Markets Field.

The Shannonsiders have yet to taste defeat when playing the league leaders this season, despite almost always going a goal down.

Tommy Barrett’s players came back every-time, with their most recent rescue mission led by Mark Walsh in the dying seconds after Harry Groome hit the back of the net in the 86th minute at Oriel Park.

Cobh will have one eye on Limerick on Friday, as they look to close the gap with Dundalk with nine games left to play.