Fresh start as Cobh Ramblers open cup campaign against Waterford

Cobh Ramblers will open their Club Orange FAI Cup campaign this evening with a game against Waterford FC at the RSC, 7.45pm.

This will mean a break from league action, with the club battling for form after picking up just one win in five outings since the midseason break.

This streak includes defeats to UCD, Cork City, and Athlone Town last Friday at Lissywollen. The FAI Cup is now some form of fresh start and Rockett is hoping to use the occasion to give first-team exposure to the younger members of his squad.

This will be done in the hope that Cobh prevail over a Waterford side fighting to avoid relegation in the Premier Division.

“I think they are out of the relegation zone at the minute and they are a good team,” Rockett explained.

“The onus will be on them to control the team. It will be a great challenge for us and we are looking at bringing more young lads into the team, to give them that experience.

It’s a cup game and anything can happen so it is an important one for us to look forward to.” 

Ramblers will enter the FAI Cup this year aiming to progress deep into the competition for the first time since 2016, when they reached the quarter finals and lost 3-2 to St Patrick’s Athletic at Richmond Park.

The next nine seasons has seen nothing but disappointment, with the crescendo being the loss to Maynooth University Town in 2021.

That sobering moment was followed by successive defeats to Cork City, UCD, and Kerry FC, all at the first hurdle.

It looked like things were going to improve last year, as Cobh got through to the second round with a routine victory over Bangor Celtic in Dublin.

Then came a meeting with Kerry at Mounthawk Park and the team managed by Mick McDermott were downed 2-0 on a night that saw John O'Donovan and Shane Griffin sent off.

The Kingdom went on to reach the semi-finals, where they lost to eventual winners Shamrock Rovers at Tallaght Stadium.

Familiar foe

This is a fresh start for everyone in the competition, but there's plenty of familiarity between Cobh and Waterford as the sides have already met twice this year. That started with a friendly and continued with a game in the quarter finals of the Munster Senior Cup.

The Blues won 3-2 in extra time, with Jorgen Voilas scoring the winner in the 97th minute.

Waterford went on to lose to Rockmount in the semifinals, and they were beaten by Cork City to the trophy at the Munster FA Turner's Cross Stadium.

The Blues' focus is the league, after a rocky start to the season that saw the club go fifteen games without a win. They eventually defeated Drogheda United at the RSC after recording six draws and eight defeats, and the victory marked an uptake in form over the summer months.

Waterford are now on the crest of a wave with their recent run producing two victories and a draw with St. Patrick’s Athletic at the RSC. This has eased relegation fears for the time being in the south-east but they remain in a protracted battle with Sligo Rovers, Galway United, and Drogheda United at the bottom of the table.

The Ramblers operate in the First Division, and they have come a long way since their last sight of blue.

The last six months has seen the squad change shape given the midseason retirement of Garry Buckley and the departures of Jason Abbott and Corey Chambers, Claudio Osario.

Rockett has also strengthened the squad with the permanent signing of Dara McCormick from Cork City.

The 20-year old has moved to St Colman’s Park just weeks after captaining the Rebel Army to victory over Rockmount in the Munster Senior Cup, in addition to lining out for the club in the U20 National League.

McCormick joins Ronan Manfield in Cobh, a loan signing from Waterford FC, as Rockett looks to boost numbers going into the run-in.

The focus is securing a place in the play-offs for a third time in four seasons, with a cup run a welcome addition to everyone involved in football on the Great Island.