Cobh Ramblers complete second-half turnaround against 10 man Cork City

Cork City 2 

Cobh Ramblers 3 

Defensive mishaps from the hosts paved the way for Cobh Ramblers, as Cork City suffered a self-inflicted defeat on Friday evening in the League of Ireland First Division.

The league champions were reduced to 10 men at Turner’s Cross when Fiacre Kelleher was sent off just before the break. Though they led 1-0 at the interval, Cobh Ramblers made it count in the second period and turned the game on its head.

Barry Robson made the decision to take off Hans Mpongo and bring on defender Harry Nevin to maintain four at the back, but, their attempt at staying on the front foot wouldn’t last. It took the Rams only seven minutes to get the equaliser.

Jordan Adeyemi got right in on top of Conor Brann for the corner delivery, and was able to beat Brann to the ball with a header, leaving it 1-1 at 52 minutes.

Now, on the back foot, City could only blame themselves when the second goal went merely seven minutes after the first. Rhys Gourdie and substitute Shane Griffin punished lacklustre defending from Chris N’Sa and Rory Feely, with Griffin getting the shot off to fire the Rams in front.

City would find themselves undone once again near the end of the game, as Gourdie countered from a Cork City corner in the 85th minute and launched a long ball forward to Anthony Adenopo.

He shook off Conor Drinan, closed the space to goal and unleashed a strike that – while Brann got a touch to it – the ball bounced its way into the net to seal victory.

City would get themselves a consolation goal right at the death, as Feely’s header set up Seani Maguire, who volleyed home from point-blank range for his second.

“We took Hans off and that's when we left at a 4-3-2, and we put Harry Nevin on because we needed another defender on the pitch,” said manager Robson after the game. “And as I said, I didn't want to have a 4-4-1 sit-in and just let them be in our half against us.

“And if you look back at the second half, we actually probably still had more possession. Now that's an incredible stat for being down to 10 men.

“But the goals just came from our mistakes,” he admitted. “It came from a set play, it came from Conor Drinan slipping, and it came from giving the ball away in the middle of the pitch. It might have been a foul, but I don't know.

“So their three goals didn’t come from good play or them opening us up or doing anything, it was three mistakes and that's frustrating. Sometimes, it can happen.

“A player can slip, Conor [Drinan] he knows can do better for that one and Niall [O’Keeffe] can probably do better in the middle of the pitch and sometimes that happens in football.” 

Robson’s side had started brightly – after having been given a guard of honour by their opponents – they seized control early on and put together some decent chances. An early defensive error from Kelleher allowed Gourdie an opportunity, and while his effort was tame, it was foreshadowing for what would come.

Still, at this early stage the Leesiders looked the part, and they found the opening and nudged themselves in front when Hans Mpongo raced down the wing before squaring it to Maguire, who finished to the net after 19 minutes.

Mpongo almost bagged himself another assist in the 28th minute, as he threaded a beautiful ball through to Keating, who tried to get around Martin for the easy finish, but the Luxembourgish goalkeeper reacted quickly.

City were deserving of their lead up to that point – they had conjured up the better chances – but when Cobh Ramblers found themselves through on goal, Kelleher pulled down Gourdie and was immediately shown a red card.

From there though, Cobh would seize the initiative and take the points.

CORK CITY (4-4-2): Brann; N’Sa, Kelleher, Feely, Drinan; Murphy, O’Keeffe (Fitzpatrick 76), Crowley, Mpongo (Nevin HT); Keating, Maguire.

COBH RAMBLERS (4-2-3-1): Martin; Honohan, Coleman, Mansfield, Le Bervet; Crowe, Gourdie; Adeyemi (Zborowski 88), McGlade, McCormick (Adenopo 73); Stjernberg (Griffin HT).

Referee: D Murphy