Larkin scores winner for Cobh as they overcome Longford

COBH TAKE THE SPOILS: Cobh Ramblers Luka Le Bervet keeps Longford Town's Shane Elworthy away from the ball. Picture: Howard Crowdy

Cobh Ramblers 1 (Larkin 69') Longford Town 0

Cobh Ramblers are two points from the play-off places in the League of Ireland First Division after Jack Larkin’s 69th minute goal gave them a 1-0 victory over Longford Town at St Colman’s Park.

The Ramblers are now sixth in the table, two points away from Finn Harps, and there’s a slim chance that Gary Hunt and his players will compete in for a place in the Premier Division next season.

Cobh had to work for the result, as the two teams cancelled each other out and clear-cut chances were few and far between.

Longford were the happier of the two sides at the break as they forced Darragh Burke into a reactionary save on the goal-line before the half-time whistle went.

The game restarted with close range shots from Luka Le Bervet and James O’Leary, and on each occasion Cobh were left frustrated.

Cobh kept plugging away and the hard work paid off when Cian Browne knocked the ball down to an unmarked Jack Larkin, and the centre-forward headed in at the far post in the 69th minute.

Longford pushed for an equaliser during the time left to play, but there was very little room to run into.

Cobh Ramblers: Darragh Burke; Michael McCarthy (Tiernan O’Brien 61), Cian Browne, Breandán Frahill, Matthew McKevitt (Regix Madika 72), Jack Larkin, James O’Leary (David Bosnjak 72), Nolan Evers, Dale Holland, Luka Le Bervet, Jason Abbott.

Longford Town: Harry Halwax; Shane Elworthy, Kyle O’Connor, Viktor Serdeniuk (Emre Topcu 80), Jordan Adeyemo, Adam Wixted (Karl Chambers 71), Mohammad Boudiaf (Chris Lotefa 70), Carl Lennox, Bastien Hery (Ross Fay 77), Francis Campbell (Emmanuel James 77), Dean O’Shea.

Referee: Alan Franklin