Regenerated Cobh will open their season against Wexford at home 

Cobh Ramblers will open their 2026 League of Ireland First Division campaign this evening with a home game against Wexford FC at St Colman's Park, kick-off 7:45pm.

This will officially mark the start of Fran Rockett's tenure as manager, with the coach newly installed in the dugout after the departure of Mick McDermott.

The Waterford native has already overseen games in the Munster Senior Cup, but this is the real start under a new administration in east Cork.

This follows a dramatic season that saw the club push for automatic promotion before falling short as September turned to October. 

Dundalk ended up pulling clear and a consolidation prize of the play-offs came up empty as Treaty United pipped Cobh over two legs.

The decisive game was at St Colman's Park, where the Shannonsiders won in extra-time after Matthew Whelan scored a dramatic equaliser on aggregate in the dying seconds for the Rams.

Since then, there's been a rebuilding operation under Digital Athlete Ventures, the company led by US based Ilya Movshovich that saved Cobh from administration last summer after the collapse of FC32.

That story is well documented, with the new owner now targeting promotion after going so close last time out.

First up are Wexford, and Cobh have been warming up to the new season by blending a squad together that is a mix of seasoned professionals, new signings, and U20s looking for a taste of senior football.

Despite this, the club lost top scorer Barry Coffey over the winter to USL Championship after he tallied 26 goals and four assists in 35 league matches. 

Cian Murphy, who hit the back of the net 10 times last year and registered six assists, has also left the Great Island and the striker signed for Kerry FC. 

Jonas Hakkinen went the same way, after returning to Ireland to sign for Cobh, while Niall O’Keeffe has made the short journey to play for Cork City under Barry Robson at Turner’s Cross.

John O’Donovan was another one that hung up his claret and blue jersey, and he moved to University College Cork for a spell in the Munster Senior League Premier Division under Declan Coleman.

The international battalion that arrived midseason has also been broken up with Iestyn Hughes after moving to Bangor in the Irish League and Harvey Cribb was recruited by Lincoln United in England’s he Northern Premier League Division One East. 

Rhys Gourdie has stayed, to operate in a regenerated group put together by Rockett and Cobh’s Director of Football, club legend Conor Meade.

The marquee signing of the winter was Wilson Waweru, the striker that spent the 2023 season on loan at St Colman’s Park from Galway United. The forward was followed by Ballyvolane native Gary Buckley, who came through the Cork City Academy and won all major honours at Turner’s Cross under John Caulfield before moving to Sligo Rovers and Galway. Callum Chambers also came back, after previously lining out for Cobh during the 2021 season, and the goalkeeper is expected to start in between the sticks for Rockett’s side.

Kai O’Neill has stepped up to this group, and the teenager announced himself by scoring against Leeside United in the Munster Senior Cup. 

The striker, whose father is club legend Davin, has been in the mix through January and February as he makes the assession from underage football to the senior ranks.

Wexford will be their first test, a group aiming to build on last year’s disappointing 7th place finish. 

They will travel to St Colman’s Park with three competitive games already completed in 2026 after lining out in the group stages of the Leinster Senior Cup throughout January.

Those outings were effectively friendlies, with little edge in the meetings with Bray Wanderers, Bohemians, and Finglas United. 

The real stuff begins on Friday, as Wexford aim to shoot up the table after missing out on the play-offs last year with just four points separating them from Treaty United.

The Ramblers are more than aware of what their south-east rivals can do, after two losses in this fixture last year.

Rockett will have no interest in that, as he chases a win at St Colman’s Park.