Welcome back to Cobh for the August 2022 matches. Can we start our FAI Cup campaign well, and can we go 1-better than last year and win it!!
9 League games left over the next 2 months, and the FAI Cup. 3 Really tough league games coming up and Sligo. We’ve a few days before we go to Dublin.
‘B’ from the Board – We’ve 6th in the Premier Division with only a quarter of a season left FFS!!!
Anthony Meade & Paul O’Neill make the Irish Premier Division Team of the Week for their performances versus Shelbourne.
4th August 2022 – Shamrock Rovers (A) – Irish Premier Division
We visit the Tallaght to play a Shamrock side that have just been knocked out of Europe – 4-2 on Agg by Omonoia of Cyprus. The weather forecast says Gale so we’ve got another August Storm Ellen on our hands.
Hurley back in midfield as Lawal is banned. Graydon back on the right as Evans can’t play against his parent club. Meade keeps his place at the back with Hughes. Just looking for a solid performance against the 4th placed Shamrock. They start with a 4-4-2, youngsters Brian Sammon & Andrew Moore up top (We know about both of them…)
FT Shamrock Rovers 1 (Power 20) Cobh Ramblers 0 Att 3,127 (39 Away)
in our Light Blue away strip this evening, versus the Camouflage Green and White of Shamrock. A really slow start until Shamrock score in the 20th minute – bloody set pieces. A free kick is floated in, Grace headers and Power is in the right place to guide it home. 1-0 Shamrock. Really quiet apart from that, 1-0 at Half Time
We get to 60 minutes with not much happening. Wingers pulled back a bit, Fleming on for Lewis. We look decent going forward, but have no end product – our young wingers seem to be amazing or not at the races. Melody on for Graydon on 66 minutes. Last sub with 15 left – Devine for Porter. Time runs away – we get a highlight in the last minute of injury time but to no end. 1-0 Shamrock at Full Time.
Just us playing this evening. 8 games left.
Both Shelbourne & Waterford stay 10 points behind as they both lose – Galway and Sligo both winning behind them, Sligo in a madness of a game with Derry, 4-1 up at Half Time, pegged back to 4-3 before going 5-3 up, Derry nearly bringing it back at the end. Also this is on Saturday – We play Sligo in 48 hours..
Our U19’s beat Mt. Merrion 6-1, goals from Lyamine Mihoubi, Dara Costelloe, 2 from Axel Bernet & 2 from Enda Curran.
8th August 2022 – Sligo Rovers (H) – Irish Premier Division
Today we play a Sligo team now 4 points clear of Galway in 9th, 4 points behind Waterford and safety from a relegation play-off. They’ve won their last 2 league games so this could be tricky.
A few of the lads are back – Evans on the right wing after not being able to play against his parent club, Lawal back from suspension & Fleming at right back. Giving Costelloe a game off as he’s not been brilliant since coming back, Graydon plays inverted in his place. Kehoe not far from coming back now as well at left back. Sligo go with a 4-4-2.
FT Cobh Ramblers 1 (Evans 23) Sligo Rovers 0 Att 478 (107 Away)
A good attacking start from both teams, Evans showing his pace nearly putting Graydon in in the 3rd minute. Cobh on top in the first quarter hour, McGinty in the Sligo net making plenty of saves. And we deservedly take the lead in the 23rd minute. Nice forward play ends up with the ball on the right with Evans, who skins the centre-back, dinks a ball to O’Neill, who lays the ball straight back to him, and he gets the ball on his left and scores well from 10 yards or so. 1-0 Cobh. Then 2 minutes later Fuck. Off. Game. Porter jumps into a challenge and gets a straight Red……….. So much on top and then that happens, makes no sense. Yes, I have get stuck in on, but this is fucking ridiculous. Obviously Sligo on the front foot now. Not looking too bad coming up to half time though. Sligo have the ball in the net just before, but it was offside. 1-0 Cobh at the break.
Getting Daire Doherty on as the support TM as he’s been a nuisance in similar circumstances before. Going to sit a bit, be more compact. We get to 60 with no incidents – Lewis on for Taylor, Fleming over to the left as a IWB(S). 15 left, Sligo go 4-3-3. Can we hold on? Last 5 – Allardice (Who’s had a good game) off for O’Riordan, 4-2-2-1 (2DM). Added Time… And some brilliant defending sees us hang on. A 1-0 win, another 3 points đŸ™‚
5 points back now from Cork as we get our 10th win of the season and they drop points at home toe Galway. St. Pat’s doing everything they can to stay with Dundalk.
Next up is the derby versus Cobh Wanderers in the FAI Cup at the end of the week.
David Evans makes the Irish Premier Division Team of the Week.
12th August 2022 – Cobh Wanderers (H) – Irish Senior Challenge Cup 1st Round
We welcome our home-town rivals (and non-league) Cobh Wanderers to St. Colman’s Park for what will hopefully be a good game of cup football, with no surprises đŸ™‚
Costelloe back on the left, trying to get him in form. Devine in for the suspended Porter, Phillips at left back, Meade in for Hughes, who was jaded so on hols for a week. The Wanderers go with the same formation as us, 4-1-2-3 DM Wide.
FT Cobh Ramblers 6 (Costelloe 19, 21, 71, O’Neill 28, Devine 47, Evans 60) Cobh Wanderers 0 Att 435 (82 Away)
The Ramblers nearly ahead in the 3rd minute, a fine save from the Wanderers Keeper. 90% Ramblers possession in the first 5 đŸ™‚ Just looks like a matter of time. And in the 19th minute it was 1-0 Ramblers. Evans tackled, ball goes out to Fleming, who passes back to Evans, who dinks a ball to the back post, Costelloe there to cushion in on the volley. Nice goal. 2 minutes later it was 2 – a stunning ball by Lawal finding Costelloe again, who took the ball in his stride, ran in and scored from just inside the corner of the 6 yard box. And its a bit of a procession now, 3-0 in the 28th, Evans striding through tackles slips in O’Neill for a tap-in from 7 yards. Costelloe should have had his first half hat-trick coming up to 40 minutes, but hit a tame shot at the Keeper from 6 yards. And in the 40th minute Wanderers go down to 10 men – Whitty with a 2nd Yellow after a lunge on Evans. 3-0 at Half Time. Nice.
4-0 in the 47th, Devine from the edge of the area following a nice team move forward. On his birthday as well apparently đŸ™‚ 5-0 in the 60th, a 50 yard run by Costelloe, who picked out David Evans at the back post, side-foot volleying home beautifully. Subs, Allardice off for Hurley, Lawal to DLP(D) at DM. Meade off for O’Riordan (On a booking). 6-0 in the 71st, a thumper from Costelloe from just inside the area for his hat-trick after a nice 1-2 with O’Riordan after a cleared corner. Doherty on for O’Neill for the last 20. The game very much dried up at that point. It finished 6-0.
Just a few games today in the cup. £14k in the coffers for the win.
No shocks in the Saturday games, but Cork City had to go to pens v Non-League Crumlin Utd…
Our U19’s beat Kerry 4-2 on the same day, goals from Mike Hourihane, James Hobbs and a brace from John O’Brien.
More cup games on the Sunday – No shocks.
And we have the draw for the 2nd Round…
A tough one – Derry at home. Though one of St. Pat’s and Dundalk will get knocked out (If Dundalk beat Galway) – If we can get through we’ve got a good shout I think.
Our schedule has now changed – Derry in the cup on the 26th August now, Dundalk moved to September 6th.
19th August 2022 – St. Patrick’s Athletic (A) – Irish Premier Division
We make the trip to Dublin to face a St. Pat’s side who have won their last 7 games, though we are W1 D1 L1 against them this season. The title is very much in Dundalk’s hands but they do play Dundalk in their penultimate game of the season, so could close to level points with just one game in hand for Dundalk. Dundalk have also qualified for the Europa League group stages after beating TNS of Wales/Oswestry 3-2 on aggregate in the playoff, so will also have those games to contend with during the run-in.
A few changes from our 6-0 win in the Cup – Porter back after suspension, Kehoe back (Hopefully for 60 mins) after injury, Hughes back from holiday. A draw would get us to 40 points, and if results go our way we may be mathematically secure from relegation… St. Pat’s go with a 3-4-1-2 – Brian Connolly on the left is a known threat 10 goals and 15 assists from 28 games…
FT St. Pat’s Athletic 2 (Varian 12, Walker 27) Cobh Ramblers 2 (Lawal 6, Porter 45+1) Att 1,443 (43 Away)
Think its going to be tough today – St. Pat’s hit the post in the 4th minute with a direct free kick. But The Cobh boys keep marching on!! 1-0 in the 6th minute, a Porter free kick dinked over the top of the St. Pat’s line, Lawal on hand to score left footed inside the 6-yard box!! Saying this now, this will not finish 1-0! 1-1 in the 12th minute, and it’s a Fleming missed header from a Connolly free kick, Varian scoring unmarked from 3 yards…. Then pretty quiet until the 27th minute when St. Pat’s took the lead. Lennon running through, no tackle, slips in Walker on the edge of the box who scores easily. Pretty poor – I’ve taken Get Stuck In off because of the sendings off, there’s the problem with that… A few squeaky bum moments leading up to half time, and then Porter hits the bar with a 30-yard free kick… And then scenes!! 2-2 in the 1st minute of injury time. A lovely break by the team – the final pass by Lawal slips in Porter, who this time finds the net!!! 2-2 at half time – feels like we may have a classic on our hands!
Fleming has had a bit of a mare – Taylor on as an IWB(S). A good start to the half, feels pretty close from the highlights. Turned Run at Defence off as we’ve be dispossessed a few times. St. Pats have also gone to a 4-4-1-1, so a bit more defensive. 59th minute, Lawal misses a sitter after a Taylor long throw causes conniption in the St. Pat’s box. Hit the target man!! We are definitely in with a shout here today. Their main-man Connolly is on 62% condition as we enter the last 30 minutes... Last 20, Phillips on for Kehoe, a tough game to come back from injury to! Last 10, Doherty on as a TM(S) for O’Neill. Last few minutes – St. Pat’s back to 3-4-1-2, and we’re pushing!! Injury time, highlight with 45 seconds left… an end to end highlight but it finishes honours even. 2-2, a superb game for the neutrals. And we hit the woodwork 5 times today!!!
Dunleavy’s 92nd minute goal versus Shelbourne means we aren’t yet mathematically safe from relegation – However Sligo would need to win the last 6 and turn -27 goal difference around… Waterford and Shelbourne matching results with us means we are at least 9 points clear of Waterford, even if they win both their games in hand, and 10 points clear of Shelbourne if they win their game in hand. Hell of a season boys!! We are pretty difficult to beat currently. One more game left this month – Derry in the cup!
Best finish was 10th in 1993/4 – We at worst could finish 9th now, though 6th is looking likely – with Cork and then the bottom 4 we could even push for Europe (Derry are in 4th just 5 points above us….)
I’m keeping on cosying-up to Brian Connolly – If I get a chance to manage him in Ireland I will take it like a flash. I’m an amazing manager apparently… đŸ™‚
A big shock in the Cup – Dundalk out on Pens to Galway! 1 more team out of the way.
Our U19’s beat College Corinthians 4-1, goals from Jack Funge, Axel Bernet & a brace from Enda Curran.
One of Waterford’s games-in-hand gone… Ouch!
Dundalk not scoring for the 2nd game in a row – Pretty rare. Cork not scoring for their 3rd in a row!! Dundalk’s September already has 8 games in it – waiting for the Europa League draw to see how much worse it will get for them.
Just the 10 games for Dundalk then!!! And 17 up to the end of (their) season currently. They get a group with Celtic, Legia Warsaw & Dinamo Zagreb (Who knocked them out of the Champions League Qualifiers before getting knocked out themselves by AEK Athens). There’s a League Cup Final in the middle there as well. 7 games in 14 days between the 15th and 29th September… St Pat’s may look back at the last game and roux their chance to close the gap by 2 points.
26th August 2022 – Derry City (H) – Irish Senior Challenge Cup 2nd Round
We welcome 5th-placed Derry this evening to St. Colman’s Park knowing a win puts us in a Quarter Finals with no Dundalk in it. Derry are on a relatively indifferent run of form – no wins in 5 before beating non-league Cockhill in the 1st round last time out. They’ve had 12 days off, lets see if it has any effect.
Only change is Lewis for Fleming at Right Back from the St. Pat’s draw. Kepp on keeping on lads! Derry start with a 4-4-1-1, McGarvey up top the danger-man.
FT Cobh Ramblers 1 (Costelloe 14) Derry City 3 (Hamilton 64, Mulhern 100, Davis 106) A.E.T Att 279 (42 Away)
A quiet enough first 10 minutes, just the one highlight, but in the 14th minute Cobh take the lead!. A Kehoe outswinging corner flicked off of a Derry head and Costelloe was on hand to volley home powerfully from the penalty spot. 1-0 Cobh! Chances for both side after the goal. O’Neill takes a knock in the 35th minute – Doherty comes on to get some good game time. 1-0 at Half Time, Derry with looking dangerous going forward.
Pulling us back a little bit, but upping the tempo, let’s see if we can hit them on the break as they push further up the pitch. 60 minutes. Evans not having a good one, Graydon on, both wingers pulled back, 4-1-4-1 DM. But another mistake lets Derry back in. 1-1, 64th minute. Derry corner, Higgins comes and flaps, Hamilton heads in from point-blank range. Bollocks. Wingers back up, let’s have a go. 80 minutes – Porter is shattered, Devine on. And that’s that – 30 minutes Extra Time and some shattered players…
Derry have the ball in the net in the 93rd minute, but Davis was well offside. 100th minute, Derry take the lead, Mulhern walking through our shattered defence. And straight from the kick-off it should have been 2-2, Doherty missing the simplest of chances. Don’t know what more I can do.
Half Time in Extra Time – Costelloe has a stubbed toe, Derry have much better condition… And it was 3-1 Derry in the 106th – Davis with a free header from a free kick. It finished 3-1, really disappointing. Set Pieces yet again.
No real shocks – St Pat’s scrape it versus Galway with 2 minutes of extra time left.
Dara Costelloe – Stubbed Toe – 3/6 Days – No problem, think I’ll rest him versus Dundalk anyway.
That’s the games done for the month (Dundalk at home is the 6th September) – just a few more days to get through.
Our U19’s lost 5-1 to Cork City U19’s, James Hobbs with the goal.
And that’s that – a topsy-turvy month all in all.
LWWDL – a very nice draw versus St. Pat’s, really disappointing versus Derry. The next post will take us through to the end of the season – 6 league games, nothing much on them apart for players playing for their place for next season. Lastly here are the Key Highlights from the 5 games this month. See you soon.