Cobh face Longford Town in key game in promotion race

Cobh Ramblers will face play-off rivals Longford Town this evening in a must-win game at St Colman’s Park, 7.45pm.

It’s fourth against fifth, and the prize is a huge boost in the battle for a top-five finish at the end of the season with just over a month to go.

Cobh will have just seven games left after their meeting with Longford Town, and there is a very real possibility that the two teams will meet again in October.

The Ramblers can only focus on themselves as they look to make it three wins on the trot after recent victories over Treaty United and Finn Harps.

Both those games had very different personalities as the Munster Derby was hard won, while everything went Cobh’s way in Donegal. They led 3-0 at the break through goals from Dara McCormick, Anthony Adenopo, and Rhys Gourdie. Shaunie Bradley pulled one back for Harps in the second half, but it meant very little as Rockett’s players were able to comfortably see out the win.

They are now preparing to take on Longford Town with a re-energised squad that has seen five new signings in recent weeks. There has been some flux since the last game at St Colman’s Park as Wilson Waweru has left to join Wealdstone in the National League.

Injuries are the main source of concern at the minute as Dylan McGlade missed the trip to Donegal with a hamstring issue and Brian Lenihan was sidelined with an ankle injury. Rockett is confident that the two players will make a full comeback, and might even feature on Friday against Longford Town.

“Brian Lenihan done his ankle but he is in good shape,” Rockett explained.

“We’re hoping to have him back [sooner than expected] rather than later. After that, we have a few others. Dylan McGlade did his hamstring. I’m hoping that Dylan will be back. He had been instrumental throughout the season.

FANTASTIC

“They have been fantastic. Mikey Carroll had an exam [during the game with Finn Harps] so that couldn’t be restructured, but he is another fantastic fella. These boys have been top drawer. 

Every single one of them. I think those players are coming back at the right time and we’re due that little bit of luck.” 

One player that is available for Friday is Breandán Frahill, after the defender served a one-match suspension over yellow cards incurred against Treaty United.

The strengthened group are now preparing to face a Longford side fighting to get into the play-offs.

Wayne Groves’ team will make the journey with form on their side after recording just two defeats in their last five games. This might look like a lot in isolation, but it is a big thing in a league where everyone is capable of getting a win.

Longford are one of the most consistent teams this year, and their reward has been a sustained play-off push that has involved memorable victories over UCD at home and Cork City at the Munster FA Turner’s Cross Stadium.

They faced Bray Wanderers last weekend and enjoyed a 4-2 victory on home soil. It was 3-1 at the break with Aaron Doran, Taylor McCarthy, and James Bailey hitting the back of the net. Doran’s second of the game came at the start of the second half, as part of a comfortable win for Longford at Bishopsgate.

FAMILAR FOE

Grove’s side know Cobh very well after three meetings earlier in the season. The Ramblers took the three points in their first encounter and the return game at St Colman’s Park was a stalemate on a freezing night on the Great Island. Longford won 2-1 last time out at Bishopsgate with Dean Williams and Pharrell Manuel getting the goals.

That was the beginning of a mixed run of form for Cobh that involved just one league win in six games.

Ramblers rebounded. They now sit in fifth and could go second if results go their way over the next two weeks.

Their destiny is in their own hands and that is the most important thing in the closing stretch of the season.