Cork City claim derby bragging rights after 1-0 victory over Cobh

ON THE RUN: Cork City's Cian Bargary races past Cobh Ramblers' Luke Desmond, during their SSE Airtricity League First Division clash at Turner's Cross. Picture: David Keane.

Cork City 1 Cobh Ramblers 0

For the third time this season the bragging rights in Cork belong to City as they defeated Cobh Ramblers 1-0 at Turner’s Cross on Friday night to climb to the top of the first division.

Darragh Crowley’s second-half goal proved to be the winner as City extend their unbeaten run in the league to 16 games while Ramblers, who saw Darragh O’Sullivan Connell dismissed late on for a second yellow card, fell to their 14th loss.

Colin Healy made just the one change from his side that was held to a 1-1 draw by Longford Town last Saturday night and it was an enforced one with Cian Coleman returning from a knock to replace Ally Gilchrist who failed to recover from the hamstring issue he suffered in that game.

Cobh’s interim boss Ivan Bevan, who previously took temporary charge of the Cork City women’s side for one match back in 2018, took the opportunity to initially make two alterations to the team that began Darren Murphy’s last game at the helm, which was their 3-0 loss to Wexford at St Colman’s Park last Friday night.

Conor Drinan and Michael McCarthy replaced Jack Larkin and Dale Holland but Bevan was forced to make another switch shortly before kick-off with Sean McGrath coming in for captain Jason Abbott.

Despite that late blow, it was the visitors, who matched City’s formation of 3-5-2, that created the first goal-scoring opportunity.

But Ben O’Riordan, who assumed possession of the captain’s armband, headed on O’Sullivan Connell’s dangerous free kick from the right but he couldn’t generate enough power to direct it past Ireland U21 international David Harrington.

In front of a crowd of 2,307 that braved the elements, which included Republic of Ireland senior manager Stephen Kenny, City soon took control of proceedings with Aaron Bolger pulling the strings in the centre of midfield.

But in a dour first half, the home side hardly threatened until shortly before the half time break when Matt Srbely sent a well-controlled half-volley from the edge of the penalty area just wide of the bottom left corner before Republic of Ireland U17 international Mark O’Mahony nodded Cian Bargary’s excellent cross past the near post.

James Doona replaced Kieran Coates during the interval and he immediately injected some urgency into the City attack as he cut in from the left and blazed a strike towards goal but it sailed just over the target.

But it was their next sub that made the real difference as a couple of minutes after being introduced, Darragh Crowley coolly slotted the ball into the bottom right corner following Cian Coleman’s knockdown from Bargary’s cross to the back post.

From that point on the Rebel Army never looked back and it took a stunning save from keeper Sean Barron from Coleman’s header and the referee’s whistle - ruling out Josh Honohan’s finish - to prevent City from winning by more.

CORK CITY: Harrington; Hakkinen, Honohan, O’Connor; Coates (Doona ht), Coleman, Bolger, Srbely, Bargary; Murphy, O’Mahony (Crowley 64).

COBH RAMBLERS: Barron; O’Riordan, Mbayo (Griffin 77), Frahill; McCarthy (Kavanagh 77), Desmond, O’Leary, O’Sullivan Connell; Hegarty (O’Connell 67), Drinan.

Referee: Paul Norton (Dublin).