UCD edge five goal thriller with Cobh Ramblers

The Students defeated the Rams in the first round of the FAI Cup.

THROUGH: UCD’s Sean Brennan and Jake Doyle celebrate after the game. Pic Credit ©INPHO/Tom Maher

UCD 3 Cobh Ramblers 2

Cobh Ramblers scored the first goal of this season’s FAI Cup proper - before an own goal helped put them out of the competition at the UCD Bowl.

Ramblers punished sloppy defending to take the lead on 16 minutes when UCD’s Brendan Barr gave the ball away cheaply to Dale Holland.

The Ramblers midfielder still had plenty to do as he cut beyond Ryan Bowden to drill a low shot to the net off a post for a fine strike.

The lively Sean Brennan looked to bring an instant reply but his drive was bravely blocked by Charlie Lyons.

But UCD’s impish midfielder did play a key role in their equaliser on 24 minutes, winning a free kick, for which Lyons was booked, right on the edge of the area.

Skipper Jack Keaney provided further punishment when smashing the dead ball straight through a porous defensive wall to the bottom corner.

UCD began the second half on the front foot and were ahead after four minutes. Lyons initially deflected a Mikey Raggett shot out for a corner.

Adam Verdon floated the ball over and, in an attempt to clear, Cobh striker Wilson Waweru contrived to head the ball into his own net.

UCD stretched their lead on 62 minutes thanks to the tenacity of Jesse Dempsey.

The wingback won the ball off Alec Byrne to surge forward from his own half to put Danny Norris in to finish past Lee Steacy.

Cobh hit back nine minutes later when Dean Larkin headed in substitute Liam Kervick’s corner.

But it was UCD who might have won by more but for Steacy making the save of the night, going full stretch to push away Danu Kinsella-Bishop’s header from Michael Gallagher’s centre.

UCD: Healy; Bowden, Keaney, Wells; Barr (Gallagher, 63), Behan, Verdon, Dempsey (Doyle, 90+3); Brennan; Raggett (Kinsella-Bishop, 73), Norris (Babb, 90+3).

Cobh Ramblers: Steacy; Frahill, Larkin, Lyons; McCarthy (Kervick, 67), Byrne (O’Brien, 67), Holland (Doherty, 84), Browne; Phillips; Rowe (Mckevitt, 84), Waweru.

Referee: Declan Toland (Wicklow).