Cobh Ramblers hammered by Bray Wanderers in blow to play-off push
Cobh Ramblers' Mikey Carroll heads the ball clear against Bray Wanderers. Picture: Evan Treacy/MEM Sport
Cobh Ramblers' play-off chances took a hit at the Carlisle Grounds on Friday night.
A first-half Ben McCormack hat-trick was their undoing. Rhys Kelly Noonan did make it 4-1 after John Bilili Sesay scored but the hosts wrapped it up with a Tyreik Sammy penalty.
No one could have foreseen Cobh going down the way they did, a week after the club’s first-ever league win over Cork City at Turner’s Cross and a narrow defeat to title challengers UCD on Bank Holiday Monday.
Bray were coming off a recent seven-match winless run. However, after two minutes, Daniel Ring and Cian Doyle worked together on the right and a pass was turned in by McCormack.
Their next advance ended with Cian Doyle stinging the palms of Timothy Martin at the near post. The Ramblers grew into it but struggled to create chances. Oran Crowe and Mikey Carroll did well in midfield but Bray held firm to stop McGlade and Claudio Osorio from finding room.
Their reward for persistence was a 25th-minute Luka Le Bervet corner but that went harmlessly into the hands of Jimmy Corcoran.
Bray were dangerous on the counter, which yielded McCormack's second goal in the 33rd minute.
The third was self-inflicted, after Breandán Frahill passed the ball out to Lucas Curtin. McCormack got in to pick the pocket of the full-back and that gave him a clear sight at goal. The hat-trick was complete with a lobbed finish, and Bray comfortably led 3-0 at the break.
Rockett went to the bench at halftime and changed things up by replacing Osorio with Rhys Kelly Noonan. Cian Coleman also came on at the start of the second half, for Curtin, and that was his first appearance in a claret and blue jersey since a defeat to Athlone Town in mid-March.
The rejigged unit just settled in as a Bray corner was knocked on and turned in by John Bilili Sesay for the fourth goal in the 57th minute.
Noonan replied from close range, to set up a big finish with the quick restart by Cobh. The Seagulls put out the fire before going forward one last time, and winning a penalty in the 80th minute.
Sammy made no mistake, to polish the win by beating Martin from the spot.
Jimmy Corcoran; Alain Kizenga, Jamie Duggan, Declan Osagie, Dean O’Shea; Ben McCormack, John Bilili Sesay, Cian Doyle, Ifunanyachi Achara, Tyreik Sammy; Daniel Ring.
Richard Ferizaj for McCormack (75); Billy O’Neill for Ring (75), Conor Knight for Sesay (81), Aime Azende for Achara (86), Kyle Tucker for Doyle (86).
Timothy Martin; Luka Le Bervet, Breandán Frahill, Shane Griffin, Lucas Curtin; Oran Crowe, Mikey Carroll; Claudio Osorio, Rhys Gourdie, Dylan McGlade; Rhys Brennan.
Rhys Kelly Noonan for Osorio (HT); Cian Coleman for Curtin (55), Wilson Waweru for Gourdie (77), Shane T. Griffin for McGlade (77), Kai O’Neill for Brennan (90).
Mark Patchell
App?
