Cobh Ramblers host Kerry, hoping to finish strong before the break 

Cobh Ramblers will look to finish strong before the midseason break when they face Kerry this evening at St Colman's Park, 7.45pm.

Fran Rockett and his players will go into this Munster Derby with form on their side after recording back-to-back victories in recent weeks over Athlone Town and Treaty United.

These results have put Cobh back into the play-off conversation, with the club sitting in fourth place, level on points with a Wexford side sitting in third.

That is evidence of a huge transformation after a rough start to the year that just one win in seven games.

The Ramblers were struggling as winter thawed and the first signs of spring were in the air, a situation that was exasperated by a range of injuries to first-team regulars. 

Things settled over Easter as Cobh recorded three wins in a row over Kerry, Treaty United, and Finn Harps.

Through this, Rockett and his management team settled into a preferred 4-2-3-1 formation after experimenting through the first few weeks of the campaign.

There's now a coherent system with Timothy Martin in goal, Luka Le Bervet and Lucas Curtin at fullback, and a cohesive forward line held together by Rhys Gourdie in the pocket. 

Dylan McGlade is spark on the left wing, with the forward the club's top scorer in 2026 after finding the back of the net eight times in 13 games.

The group is only going to get stronger as Shane T. Griffin returns from injury, after getting minutes in recent weeks against Wexford, Bray Wanderers, Athlone Town, and Treaty United. 

The midfielder is expected to play a big part in the second half of the season after last year, where he registered seven goals and seven assists before injury ended his campaign in August.

Cian Coleman is also fully fit and back playing full games, following a start to the campaign that saw the defender miss seven games through injury.

The rejuvenated Ramblers will be out to defeat a Kerry side that has recorded just one defeat in their last five games.

Colin Healy's side are flying, something that is seen as a complete transformation after a start to the season that saw just one win in ten games. There was a run to the semi-finals of the Munster Senior Cup following victories over Cobh Wanderers and Leeds AFC, and that ended with a defeat to Cork City at the home of Mayfield United.

Kerry have steadied the ship with a number of former Cobh players in their ranks. 

This includes Jonas Hakkinen, Cian Murphy, and Cian Bargary, three members of the Ramblers team that finished second last year and lost the promotion play-off semi-final to Treaty United.

The trio have already faced their old club, and lost 2-1 at Mounthawk Park at the beginning of April.

The Ramblers had to dig in to get the points that night on the road, as Kerry started with a furious drive that included an inviting Sean O’Connell free-kick missing everyone inside the area. 

Arran Healy built on the momentum that followed from such an opening by setting up Bargary for a header that went just over the bar.

Rhys Kelly-Noonan was the first player in claret and blue to go forward, and a tame effort by the striker was nodded out for a goal kick.

Bargary proved to be a handful as the game wore on, despite few clearcut chances for either team. The winger did manage to sting the palms of Timothy Martin in the 18th minute.

The Ramblers got into a similar position before the break, and it led to a foul by O’Connell inside the area. 

The resulting penalty was knocked in by McGlade, who doubled Cobh’s lead with a blistering strike within seconds of the restart.

Bargary pulled one back in the 67th minute with a deflected strike off Brendeán Frahill, to set up a big finish that never arrived as Cobh buckled down and took the three points.

Rockett and his management team will want some sort of sequel on Friday, as they aim to finish strong at the midseason break.