Roy Keane watches on as Kerry sweep Cobh aside to enter play-off spots

Kerry are in fifth place after an emphatic victory over Cobh

Cian Murphy scored twice for Kerry against Cobh Ramblers. Pic: David Fitzgerald/Sportsfile

SSE Airtricity First Division: Kerry FC 3 Cobh Ramblers 0

An emphatic 3-0 win for Kerry FC over Cobh Ramblers saw them leapfrog the Cork side, moving into fifth and the First Division play-off places for the first time.

Roy Keane was an interested spectator at Mounthawk Park for the clash between his former club and a Kerry FC side trying to extend their unbeaten home record to ten games. 

Kerry created a good chance in the ninth minute when Sean O’Connell’s free kick reached Vince Borden but his header across the danger area evaded the incoming attackers and was cleared.

Kerry were on top as the monsoon type rain made life difficult for both sets of players. O’Connell shot from well outside the box, forcing keeper Timmy Martin to punch clear.

But then the inevitable happened in the 15th minute as Kerry took the lead after  O’Connell floated in a free kick to edge of the six yard box where Cian Murphy headed the ball to the back of the Cobh net.

Kerry, and in particular Dan Okwute, were tormenting the Cobh defence down the left hand side and his pinpoint cross to the back post was just missed by a stretching Cian Bargary.

Cobh did respond and were denied a goal in the 24th minute when Dylan McGlade got inside the Kerry defence after a ball over the top but Matthew Connor dived full length to turn the ball behind. Nothing came of the corner and in the 28th minute, there was a moment of sheer magical individual brilliance from their skipper Seanie McGrath who slalomed through the heart of the Cobh defence, to shoot low to the bottom corner.

Kerry were now in total control with Cobh Ramblers only managing sporadic raids that Niall Brookwell and Jonas Hakkinen cut out.

Three minutes before half-time, it got even better for Kerry when when a mix up between the Cobh Ramblers centre-backs near the halfway line saw Bargary find Murphy, who twisted his body to hook the ball past Martin and Kerry retired 3-0.

Kerry continued their dominance in the third quarter with Murphy having three chances but he was denied by the keeper. He then had a shot turned behind for a corner and another over the bar as he looked like completing his hat-trick.

Murphy was through again in the 62nd minute but he ran the ball behind after the keeper had made a diving save. Then Okwute crossed and Bargary crashed the ball off the crossbar.

Cobh refused to give up and a Rhys Gourdie snap shot was brilliantly turned behind by Matt O’Connor. It was a momentous win for Kerry who had never beaten Cobh, home or away, prior to Monday. 

Kerry FC: M Connor; S Aladesanusi, N Brookwell, J Hakkinen, S O’Connell; E Lee, V Borden ( S Luchinger 80) ; D Okwute ( C Brosnan 83)) , S McGrath ( R Keane 70), , C Bargary ( R Perez 70); C Murphy ( L Palmer 80) 

Cobh Ramblers: T Martin; B Linehan, B Frahill, E Dietrich (K O’Neill, h/t), L Curtin; D McGlade (R Kelly Noonan 70), M Carroll (D McCormick 70); R Gourdie, L Le Bervet, P Jordan Adeyemi, J Sternberg (A Adenopo78) 

Referee: Mark Patchell