Amond the man late on as Waterford oust Cobh Ramblers
Cobh Ramblers' Rhys Gourdie. Pic: Mary Browne
Padraig Amond once again proved his enduring quality as he struck deep into stoppage time to send Waterford FC into the next round of the Club Orange FAI Men’s Cup with a dramatic 2-1 victory over Cobh Ramblers at the RSC.
The Blues looked set for extra time after spending much of the second half chasing the game, but Amond’s 93rd-minute winner completed an impressive comeback and ensured Graham Coughlan’s side avoided a major cup upset against their determined First Division opponents.
Cobh stunned the home crowd by taking the lead after just three minutes.
Rhys Gourdie released Luka Le Bervet down the left, and the Frenchman cleverly teed up Jordan Adeyemi.
The midfielder unleashed a low strike from 25 yards that took a significant deflection off Hayden Cann, wrong-footing goalkeeper Arlo Doherty and finding the net.
The visitors continued to threaten and nearly doubled their advantage on 18 minutes. Gourdie again caused problems down the left before delivering a dangerous cross into the six-yard box, but Rhys Kelly-Noonan was unable to apply the finishing touch.
Waterford struggled to gain control, while Cobh looked dangerous whenever they broke forward.
A header from Will Johnson was ruled out midway through the opening half, while further opportunities fell the way of the visitors.
Adeyemi almost benefitted from a defensive error after another teasing Gourdie delivery, while Kai O’Neill headed wide at the back post following an excellent cross from Le Bervet.
Waterford gradually improved before the break, creating chances through Johnson and Jorgen Voilas, but Cobh goalkeeper Timothy Martin remained largely untroubled as the visitors deservedly carried their lead into half-time.
The Blues emerged with greater urgency after the interval and began to dominate possession. Amond came close to an equaliser on 55 minutes when he met a Conan Noonan corner but fired narrowly across goal.
Martin then produced two outstanding saves to keep Cobh in front. First, he denied Benny Couto after excellent work from substitute Evan McLaughlin, before somehow keeping out McLaughlin’s powerful effort moments later.
The pressure eventually told on 78 minutes. Jordan Houston’s cross was only partially cleared by Brendan Frahill, and McLaughlin reacted quickest, rifling a superb left-footed finish into the roof of the net to level the tie.
Cobh continued to defend heroically, with Martin making another sensational stop from Dean McMenamy’s long-range effort. However, there was one final twist. In the third minute of added time, Benny Couto delivered a free-kick that Hayden Cann flicked into the path of Amond.
The veteran striker made no mistake, blasting home from close range to spark celebrations among the 1,316 supporters and seal Waterford’s place in the next round.
Doherty; Houston, Mahon, Cann, Dempsey (Couto 61); Coyle (McLaughlin 61), Heeney (McMenamy 61), Johnson, Voilas; Noonan, Amond.
Martin, Linehan (O’Donovan 90), Frahill, Griffin, Gourdie, O’Neill (Galvin 90), Adeyemi (Adenopo 74), Kelly-Noonan, Carroll (McCormick 88), Griffin, Le Bervet.
Referee: Kevin O’Sullivan (Cork).
1,316
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