Darren Murphy breaks his duck as Cobh boss

Goalmouth action between Cobh Ramblers and Cabinteely in their sides League of Ireland First Division match at Stradbrook Road. Picture: Moya Nolan

Cabinteely FC 1 Cobh Ramblers 2

Darren Murphy’s long wait for a first SSE Airtricity League First Division win as Cobh boss ended following a 2-0 success over Cabinteely.

Goals in each half by Danny O’Connell and Jake Hegarty saw Ramblers move above their opponents in the table after the success at Stradbrook.

The St Colman’s Park outfit took a 10-minute lead. A through ball up the middle saw O’Connell race clear. He evaded a last-gasp tackle by Kevin Knight before coolly dinking past Harry Halwax from 10 yards.

With Ian Turner, Nathan O’Connell and Regix Madika all suspended for the visitors, Sean Barron, Jake Hegarty, James McCarthy and Danny O’Connell all came into the Ramblers starting line-up in a 4-3-3 set-up.

With record goal-scorer Kieran Marty Waters injured, and winger Keith Dalton banned, Cabo recalled Harry Halwax, Jack Watson, Eoin McPhillips, and Dean Casey to their first 11.

Clear-cut chances were few and far between in a tight opening period. Ben Feeney almost equalised for the Dubliners on 17 with his back-header close in dropping just wide.

Within moments of the start of the second period, Barron produced a wonderful tip over save to keep out McPhillips’ free on the edge of the box.

The custodian went even better in the 53rd minute with a better fingertip save to divert McPhillips’ shot from distance over.

At the other end on the hour mark, Halwax made himself big to deny O’Connell as he cut in from the right flank.

Hegarty dragged an effort wide of the target on 63. But the attacker made no mistake less than 60 seconds later by deftly heading in Stephen O’Leary’s precise centre from the right.

Cabo pulled one back in the fourth minute of injury time through sub Alex Aspil. However, referee Rob Dowling’s final whistle arrived almost immediately.

CABINTEELY FC: Halwax; Blackbyrne, Kevin Knight, Hudson, McWilliams; Watson (Aspil 36), Massey (Nwanze 74), Byrne (O’Reilly 64), Casey (McDonald 64), McPhillips (Conor Knight 74); Feeney.

COBH RAMBLERS: Barron; McCarthy (Coleman 84), Kavanagh, O’Riordan, Walsh; David O’Leary, Abbott, Devitt; Stephen O’Leary (Kennedy 76), O’Connell (Cooper 76); Hegarty (Drinan 89).

Referee: Rob Dowling (Kildare).