Cobh Ramblers recent run of poor form at home continues with loss against Bray

Cobh Ramblers 1 

Bray Wanderers 2 

Cobh Ramblers winless run continued with a 2-1 defeat to Bray Wanderers at St Colman’s Park on Friday night.

It was a night that promised a lot after Anthony Adenopo scored, but the visitors were able to respond with goals from James Duggan and Achara Ifunanyachi.

The loss is their fifth in succession, their sixth since the return from the midseason break. It also loosens the club’s grip on the play-offs after going as high as fourth at the end of May.

Fran Rockett and his management team were out to change course, and that meant one change to the group that lost to Waterford last time out in the FAI Cup. Adenopo took the place of Jordan Adeyemi in a 4-2-3-1 that had Rhys Gourdie positioned in front of the back four, instead of his usual role behind the striker.

The switch immediately paid off as the midfielder slipped a ball through to Adenopo that was turned in for the opening goal in the 13th minute.

Bray responded with two efforts by Kyle Tucker, beginning with a tame shot that was pushed put for corner. The set-piece was knocked down for the midfielder and clawed off the goal line by Timothy Martin.

The Seagulls equalised with their next attack, from a Duggan header off a Richard Ferizaj free-kick that was sent in in from the edge of the box in the 24th minute.

Things slowed down in the lead up to half-time, as the game devolved into a battle for possession in midfield. Tyreik Sammy did cut through at one stage during this spell, only to see his shot blocked down inside the area by Shane Griffin.

The game restarted with Rhys Kelly Noonan trying his luck, a long range strike that went well over the bar.

The Ramblers went on to win a corner, off a Luka Le Bervet cross sent in for a lingering Shane T. Griffin. Breandán Frahill knocked that on for Adenopo at the back post, who headed the ball into the side netting in the 53rd minute.

A Duggan pass played Sammy through just seconds later, and his effort was easily stopped by an onrushing Martin.

The Cobh goalkeeper then stood his ground to deal with a Sammy header from close range in the 64th minute, and the loose ball was cleared by Frahill.

The Ramblers won a free-kick at the other end after a foul on Kai O’Neill on the edge of the area. Shane T. Griffin tried curling the ball in, and his shot was pushed out by Rian Hogan for a corner that came to nothing.

Bray’s winner came in the 80th minute, off a low shot from right in front of the posts after a deep cross landed at the feet of Ifunanyachi.

The Seagulls could have got a third in injury time, but a neat counter attack ended in a tame effort by Conor Knight going into straight into the hands of Martin.

Cobh Ramblers: Timothy Martin; Brian Lenihan, Breandán Frahill, Shane Griffin; Luka Le Bervet; Rhys Gourdie, Mikey Carroll; Anthony Adenopo, Shane T. Griffin, Kai O’Neill, Rhys Kelly Noonan.

Subs: Dylan McGlade for Adenopo (68); Dara McCormick for Carroll (69), Ethan O’Donovan for O’Neill (82), Callum Honohan for Lenihan (90).

Bray Wanderers: Rian Hogan; Alain Kizenga, Declan Osagie, Jamie Duggan, Dean O’Shea; Jamie Ryan, Kyle Tucker, Achara Ifunanyachi; Richard Ferizaj, Tyreik Sammy, Ryan Kelly.

Subs: Endri Mustali for Kelly (63); Ben McCormack for Tucker (63), John Bilili Sesay for Ryan (78), Lucas Curtin for Le Bervet (81), Conor Knight for Sammy (87), Ethan Cheese for Ferizaj (87).

Referee: Ryan Maher