Late goal by Kervick seals win for Cobh over Treaty

Promotion chasing Cobh were kept at bay until the 80th minute after a heroic first-half display from Shane Hallahan kept Tommy Barrett’s men in the game, before Liam Kervick smashed home the winner 10 minutes from time.

LATE WINNER: Cobh leave it late to seal the win against Treaty. Pic: Brendan Gleeson

League of Ireland First Division

Treaty United 0-1 Cobh Ramblers

WITH the battle to secure a promotion play-off spot heating up, as the First Division season passed its midway point, it was Cobh Ramblers who secured bragging rights thanks to a late breakaway Liam Kervick goal at the Markets Field on Friday evening.

Promotion chasing Cobh were kept at bay until the 80th minute after a heroic first-half display from Shane Hallahan kept Tommy Barrett’s men in the game, before Kervick smashed home the winner 10 minutes from time.

Fourth placed Cobh, who made three changes from their starting XI against Longford, started the brighter of the two sides and came close to taking the lead after just five minutes.

Charlie Lyons’ 25-yard low drilled effort however was brushed wide by Hallahan the Treaty net - an early wake up call for a deep United defence.

Hallahan was on hand to save Treaty yet again when the former Ramblers ‘keeper got a strong hand to a superb curling effort from Kervick. The skilful Waterford United loanee had done well to cut inside Ben O’Riordan and then Stephen Christopher before cutting his shot away.

A minute later, it was the turn of Cobh goalkeeper Lee Steacy to take the plaudits at the other end of the pitch, superbly saving a curling effort from Colin Conroy who’d been played through by Lee Devitt.

The visitors, chasing a second win on the trot, again, almost opened the scoring in beautiful fashion after just 18 minutes. Striker Wilson Waweru collected a pass out wide and shot from a tight angle, but Hallahan was again the hero for Treaty. In what was a carbon-copy chance, Hallahan again saved a close-range effort from Waweru just eight minutes later.

Treaty’s best passage of play came 13 minutes before half-time. Substitute Enda Curran did superbly well to hold up the ball before laying it off to Lee Devitt. The stand-in Treaty captain cut inside before setting up Alec Byrne. The former Cork City midfielder’s effort drifted narrowly wide, much to the delight of Lee Steacy in the Cobh net.

This seemed to significantly boost United’s confidence, and Byrne was on hand a minute later to meet a lovely pass from Martin Coughlan. The Cork native should have scored, but he could only watch on as his sliced shot went out for a goal kick.

Treaty, who continued to be run ragged by the pacey and physically strong Waweru and started to hit Cobh on the counterattack, had a penalty shout 20 minutes from time when Devitt went down in the box. Referee Marc Lynch quickly dismissed shouts from the Treaty players, however.

After Kervick found the net 10 minutes from time, Treaty had a chance of their own to draw level, but Ben O’Riordan struck the crossbar after a Lee Devitt corner reached the back post.

A minute later, Waweru should have doubled Ramblers’ lead, but the impressive Cobh striker hit the crossbar much to the delight of the in-form Hallahan.

Cobh held on for their second ever defeat of Treaty United in the historic Garryowen venue.

Treaty United: Shane Hallahan; Stephen Christopher, Ben O’Riordan, Darren Nwankwo, Lee Devitt (capt.); Conor Barry, Colin Kelly, Alec Byrne, Colin Conroy, Martin Coughlan; Dean George 

Subs: Enda Curran for Barry (21 minutes, injured), Darren Collins for Kelly, Josh Quinlivan for Coughlan (both 57 minutes) 

Cobh Ramblers: Lee Stacey; Justin Eguaibor, Brendan Frahill, Charlie Lyons; Charlie O’Brien, Dale Holland, Luke Desmond, Jason Abbott (capt.), Daragh O’Sullivan Connell; Wilson Waweru, Liam Kervick.

Subs: Tiernan O’Brien for Charlie O’Brien (64 minutes), Conor Drinan for Desmond (68 minutes), Pierce Phillips for Waweru, Jake Hegarty for Holland (both 85 minutes) 

Referee: Marc Lynch (Galway)