League Preview: Cabinteely -v- Cobh Ramblers

• Fran Reilly
• Thu, May 21 2015




CABINTEELY

Cabo have played away from home on two consecutive weeks since John McKeown's 95^th minute intervention in Stradbrook snatched an unlikely point for Cabinteely against Finn Harps, and now Eddie Gormley's men are back in Blackrock (much to their own delight, if this promo video is anything to go by) for the visit of Cobh Ramblers – a game which you can see for free if you bothered to keep a losing betting slip from that May 1^st night.

 

It was one of the PR stunts of the season from the Southsiders, but chances are the majority of those accumulator betting slips went in the bin the minute McKeown's late, late equaliser flashed up on Extratime.ie (the younger brother of this writer threw his in the bin anyway in a fit of drunken rage – losing €25 from a €2 stake at the last possible minute on a Friday night can provoke such a reaction). 

While former Dundalk midfielder McKeown – Cabo's top scorer this season – reveled in his role as bet smasher/dream dasher with a sharp tweet of his own afterwards, the two games since haven't gone according to plan for him or his teammates.

 

A trip to Tolka ended in a 1-0 defeat to a Shelbourne team that hadn't won in the six league games since beating Cabo at Stradbrook in March. The following week then saw Gormley's men lose 3-1 in the RSC to a Waterford United side that had previously won just once all season, but who were rejuvenated by the appointment of Roddy Collins leading up to the game.

 

These results coupled with an upturn in form for this week’s opponents Cobh, have left the League of Ireland newboys sitting at the bottom of the table with the worst goal-difference in the First Division. Gormley, though, will be pleased to be back on home turf this week – seven of Cabo's eight points this season have been gleaned in Stradbrook.

 

 

COBH RAMBLERS

The Rams travel to Dublin for their first ever game in Stradbrook in the middle of their first wobble since Stephen Henderson's return to the club as manager. The Cobh boss started his second spell in charge with a home win against Cabinteely which was the beginning of a five game unbeaten run in the league.

 

This was enough to lift the St. Colman's Park side off the foot of the table at the expense of Waterford United initially, who were then succeeded by Cabo. However, consecutive defeats to Wexford Youths (1-0) and Finn Harps (3-2) put an end to that honeymoon period and now Henderson will be looking to kick-start things again with another victory over the boys from the Borough of Dun Laoghaire.

 

Despite the back-to-back defeats, Cobh fans can take heart from the fact that the Rams were close to getting something from both games. It took a vital goal-line clearance from Youths centre-back Lee Grace in the 90^thminute to deny Cobh a point in Ferrycarrig Park, while a 90^th minute strike from Harps' Raymond Foy robbed Ramblers of a share of the spoils in a thrilling game at St. Colman's last week.

 

Though Cobh are yet to win on their travels in 2015 (Munster Senior Cup aside), Henderson will take heart from their previous performance in South Dublin at the end of April – after going a goal down to UCD in Belfield and withstanding a Student onslaught, Cobh earned a 1-1 draw through a Stephen Kenny penalty.

 

Referee: Rhona Daly.

 

 

MATCH STATS

This will be Cobh Ramblers' first game in Stradbrook. The Rams narrowly came out on top in the first ever meeting of the sides at the beginning of April – Robbie Waters' goal gave Stephen Henderson a 1-0 win on his managerial return to St. Colman's Park.

 

John McKeown is Cabinteely's all-time top goalscorer in the League of Ireland with three goals this season. The Southsiders have yet to lose a game in which he has scored: their only victories so far over Wexford Youths (1-0) and Waterford United (1-0) and the last gasp 1-1 draw against table-toppers Finn Harps.

 

Both sides are at present the lowest scoring teams in the top two divisions: Cabo have scored just six times in 11 games (with McKeown responsible for 50% of that return) while Cobh have scored just eight goals. Premier Division side Derry City are the only other team yet to hit double-digits in the league at this stage of the campaign (nine goals in 13 games).

 

 

BETTING

Cabinteely 6/4; Draw 11/5; Cobh Ramblers 13/8.

 

PREDICTION

1-1.

 

 

Cabinteely

Injured: Unknown.

Doubtful: Unknown.

Suspended: None.

 

Cobh Ramblers

Injured: Darren Murphy Snr., Peter White, Andrew Bhandarkar (knee), David Browne (shoulder).

Doubtful: Kevin Mulcahy, Jonathan Creamer, Chris McCarthy.

Suspended: None