Cobh Ramblers' title dream all but over after Wexford defeat
Cobh Ramblers' Dylan McGlade scores in the recent game against Treaty United. Picture: Howard Crowdy
Cobh Ramblers' hopes of forcing a final day title decider with Dundalk are all but over following a defeat to Wexford at a rain-soaked Ferrycarrig Park.
Mick McDermott’s side were leading until the 77th minute and a late Mikie Rowe brace against his old club got the win for the home side.
The Ramblers remain six points behind the league leaders, who will face Longford Town on Saturday at Bishopsgate.
It was a thriller played put in soaking wet conditions and it came to life inside the first minute as Timothy Martin was called into action to deal with a close range Aaron Dobbs shot.
Wexford then took the lead through an onrushing Rowe, who beat the offside trap before slotting neatly passed the Cobh goalkeeper in the 14th minute.
The Ramblers responded with a neat little move involving Niall O’Keeffe and Dylan McGlade. Evan Osman stood his ground to deal with this by drawing a foul which put an end to that spell in possession by the visitors.
Cobh equalised with their next advance, and Jonas Hakkinen put this in motion with a long ball to Cian Murphy. The striker headed this down for Rhys Gourdie, and the midfielder squeezed his shot in with his right boot in the 33rd minute.
The Ramblers built on this but were unable to get a second before the break as Alex Moody stood his ground in between the posts for the home side.
The goalkeeper picked up where he left off at the restart by pushing out a Barry Coffey free kick at the near post.
Dylan McGlade followed this up after a lull with a blistering strike from distance that flew passed Moody in the 71st.
McDermott wanted more, with the coach making two attack minded substitutes in quick succession once the game got back underway.
Samiel Bellis and Matthew Whelan were brought on in place of Iestyn Hughes and McGlade, as the conditions worsened with 15 minutes left to play.
It was all going according to plan, until a foul in the box was met with the referee pointing to the spot.
Rowe made no mistake when facing Martin and that made it 2-2 in the 78th minute.
Wexford had more in them, and the goal that got the win came in the 87th minute with a near post header.
The two moments felt close together over the way things unravelled, and it hardly mattered in the end as Cobh looked stunned with the defeat.
Paul Martin; Evan Osman, Robert McCourt, Dean Larkin, James Crawford, Zayd Abada, Ajibola Oluwabiyi, Mikie Rowe, Ben McCormack, Kaylem Harnett, Aaron Dobbs.
Alex Moody for Martin (20); Ryan Butler for Crawford (69), Muhammad Haris for Hartnett (74).
Timothy Martin; Iestyn Hughes, Cian Coleman, Jonas Hakkinen, John O’Donovan, Niall O’Keeffe, Rhys Gourdie, Cian Bargary, Barry Coffey, Dylan McGlade, Cian Murphy.
Harvey Cribb for O’Keeffe (63); Samuel Bellis for Hughes (75), Matthew Whelan for McGlade (75).
John Sconnie Walsh
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