Keating goal gives Cork City first win of season over neighbours Cobh Ramblers

BRAGGING RIGHTS: Ruairi Keating’s eight goal in six games ended the Cobh Ramblers hoodoo over Cork City. Pic: Jim Coughlan.

COBH RAMBLERS 0 CORK CITY 1 (Ruairi Keating 6)

Ruairi Keating’s eight goal in six games ended the Cobh Ramblers hoodoo over Cork City, whose lead at the summit stretched to 18 points.

At this rate, the 22 point gap City had when lifting the First Division in 2024 is in danger of being breached.

Cobh’s recent form illustrated their consistency, wins followed by defeats in three successive pairs of matches.

This reverse halts that cycle but of having a sufficient cushion, as well as financial firepower from their American owners in this transfer window, to consolidate their spot in the playoffs for the second successive year.

It was evident from the off that City’s attacking ploy completing the full set of scalps this season centred on isolating tricky winger Hans Mbongo against veteran defender Brendeán Frahill.

Time and time again, passing movements culminated in the ball being sprayed to the flying Dutchman, whose quick feet tormented the hosts.

Five minutes were clocked when Mbongo got his first sight on goal, cutting in from the left to caress a low shot towards the opposite corner which Timo Martin dived low to spill.

The former Luxembourg U21 goalkeeper didn’t have much time to accept the plaudits before he was beaten within a minute.

Brendan Frahill, Cobh Ramblers, Fiacre Kelleher, Cork City, battle for the high ball. Pic: Jim Coughlan.

There could be no fault attributed his way, however, as the move was symptomatic of how City’s quality has told in the second tier.

Midfielder Niall O’Keeffe has shown his versatility by slipping into the right-back spot when required and his distribution was crucial when floating a pass over the Cobh defence to set Keating free.

Faced with the dilemma of charging towards goal or getting a shot away, he opted for the riskier latter and it yielded rewards as his dinked volley cleared the advancing stopper and squeezed into the net off the near post.

Rather than use that lead as a springboard to kill the outcome early, a couple of nervy City moments offered the Rams hope. Rian O’Neill’s sliderule pass ought to have been seized upon by Rhys Gourdie before he hesitated while a better application of patience by his provider would have avoided the offside flag when he was sent clear.

The Rebels did regroup to finish the half stronger, aided by the injury-enforced withdrawal of their former captain Cian Coleman. Another of the ex-City brigade, Garry Buckley, gifted Cillian Murphy the ball with a stray pass and he was mightily relieved to see his goalkeeper thwart the subsequent shot by the Arsenal target.

Martin was also tested twice by Mbongo as the break approached, each time stooping low to repel attempts from the predicted corridor of the left wing.

Cobh were still in the contest and were almost handed a present immediately after the restart.

City skipper Fiacre Kelleher, watched on by his brother Caoimhin in the main stand, recovered from an errand pass to snuff out the danger inside the box posed by Rhys Brennan, albeit the home side were appealing for a foul.

Cobh pressure continued as Anthony Adenopo, on for Coleman, rippled the sidenetting after showing his power and pace driving into the box.

Ireland call-up Conor Brann was only extended by Brennan’s angled shot towards the near post as City failed to source a second goal to avoid any late apprehension.

Greg Bolger was close to supplying in when ghosting through from midfield, only to find Shane Griffin, the midfielder of the two namesakes, shadowing his run to foil the threat.

Griffin himself whistled a shot past the far post as the contest entered the last 10 minutes but Murphy, at the other end, made similar inroads, yet was denied by Martin as space narrowed.

COBH RAMBLERS: T Martin; B Frahill, C Coleman (A Adenopo 16), Shane Griffin, L Le Bervet; Shane T Griffin, G Buckley, R Gourdie (W Waweru 71), R Brennan; K O’Neill (B Noonan-Kelly 71).

CORK CITY: C Brann; N O’Keeffe, D O’Connor, F Kelleher, C Drinan; D Crowley, G Bolger; J Fitzpatrick, C Murphy, H Mpongo (M Murray 86); R Keating.

Referee: Daryl Carolan.

Attendance: 1605.