Cobh Ramblers still in pursuit of favourites Dundalk

Cobh Ramblers will try and keep the pressure on league leaders Dundalk this week by taking all three points from their meeting with Treaty United this Friday at St Colman’s Park, 7.45pm.

Mick McDermott and players have their sights firmly set on the trend setters, knowing a title decider could be set up if things go their way over the coming weeks.

For that to happen, Cobh have to keep winning and Dundalk have to lose at least one of their next five.

It’s a simple state of affairs, the complicating factor is the inevitable pressure associated with the possibility of history.

All Cobh can do is focus on themselves, and that means doing everything they can to get the better of an unpredictable Treaty United side at St Colman’s Park.

This has followed a run of form that has loosened Tommy Barrett’s grip on the play-offs after a run of form that saw a victory over the Ramblers and draws with Dundalk at the Markets Field and Oriel Park.

Treaty slipped and went on a seven-match winless run that was only broken by this week’s snatch-and-grab win against UCD on home soil.

That has put them in fifth place with 39 points collected, with Finn Harps just three behind.

There’s a real sense of urgency now in Limerick to get things right, while Cobh are out for revenge following their 2-1 defeat at the Markets Field in July.

Ramblers made the journey second in the table, and eager to build on the previous week’s victory over Athlone Town at St Colman’s Park.

McDermott and his players struggled to break down Treaty, while players like Lee Devitt were able to get in and create small chances from the opening minutes. Cobh, in comparison, put together only one real opening, from a corner, and Niall O’Keeffe’s shot was expertly stopped by Corey Chambers.

There was no reprieve after half-time as a Colin Conroy’s cross inside the box went to Connor Wilson, who was able to guide the ball in with his first touch.

Cian Murphy immediately responded by getting his seventh goal of the season, and the striker could have got a second in the 74th minute with a Cian Bargary cross. The effort went wide of the target and Treaty retaliated with Mark Byrne scoring what turned out to be the winner.

MISSED OPPORTUNITY

The result was disappointing from a Cobh point of view, and made worse by Dundalk losing to Bray Wanderers, meaning a victory would have narrowed the gap to just three points.

The Ramblers are now out to make a point against a team they have already beaten twice this year.

This is all that matters. All the club need to do at this moment in time is win and keep an eye on other results. There will be no talk of a title decider if they falter and limp over the line going into the play-offs, meaning absolutely no momentum for October and maybe November.