Third win in a row for Cobh Ramblers at Finn Harps

Finn Harps 0 Cobh Ramblers 2

Cobh Ramblers won their third consecutive game with goals from Garry Buckley and Rhys Kelly Noonan at Ballybofey.

The result moves Fran Rockett’s side up to fifth in the table, and into the play-off places at the start of the second round of fixtures.

The Ramblers fully deserved the win, at the expense of a Finn Harps team that went into Friday’s encounter unbeaten in three and undefeated at home.

Cobh arrived confident following successive victories over Kerry and Treaty United across the Easter Weekend, and they made it three-in-row by coming out the right side of an entertaining game in Donegal.

Chances were plentiful despite the pouring rain, leading to a number of moments inside the first 20 minutes that called Timothy Martin into action. The goalkeeper answered everything that was asked, beginning with a stretched save to deny Nathan Lumingo from close range.

Rhys Gourdie went the closest for Cobh during this period, and the midfielder headed the ball over the bar on that occasion.

The Ramblers built on this small opening with the likes of Dylan McGlade trying his luck and Lucas Curtin getting forward from left back.

It was goalless at the break and the second half began with Rhys Brennan playing a quick pass to the right wing for a deep cross that landed at the back post. Breandán Frahill broke this down for a scramble that Callum Honohan tried to capitalise on. The ball went out for Buckley, who was able to fire in from close range in the 73rd minute.

Finn Harps went to their bench in response and brought on Max Johnston and Adam McDaid in a bid to inject fresh energy into the team as they pushed for an equaliser. The Ramblers held firm with a defence containing Frahill and Buckley, before breaking on a number of different occasions.

Kelly Noonan grabbed the second by picking off misplaced pass, charging down the left wing, and slotting at the near post as McDaid and Joel Bradley Walsh converged in the 82nd minute.

That went down as the 20-year-old’s first senior goal for Cobh, as he continues to adjust to the pace of the First Division after recent spells with Midleton in the Munster Senior League Premier Division and Cork City’s U20s.

Finn Harps had nothing to offer in response, the second goal drew a line that there was no coming back from.

The Ramblers will aim to record their fourth win in a row next Friday when they welcome Longford Town to St Colman’s Park.

HARPS: Lorenzo Piaia Barbosa; Josh Cullen, Conor Tourish, Joel Bradley Walsh, Alex Fanle; Tony McNamee, Oran Brogan; Gavin McAteer, Bernardo Monteiro, Nathan Lumingo; Temiloluwa Ajibola.

Subs: Shaunie Bradley for Monteiro (56); Idir Yacine Zerrouk for Lumingo (57), Odhran McHugh for Ajibola (64), Max Johnston for Brogan (79), Adam McDaid for McNamee (80).

b Timothy Martin; Callum Honohan, Breandán Frahill, Garry Buckley, Lucas Curtin; Oran Crowe, Mikey Carroll, Rhys Brennan, Rhys Gourdie, Dylan McGlade; Rhys Kelly Noonan.

Subs: Shane Griffin for Carroll (81); Wilson Waweru for McGlade (81), Kai O’Neill for Gourdie (86), James O’Halloran for Crowe (88).

Referee: Mark Patchell