Blues striker Anthony McAlavey heads for goal
Cobh Ramblers – 3
Waterford United lost their 13th league game of the season when they fell to Cobh Ramblers at the RSC on Friday night last.
Apart from the fact that three players were suspended manager Roddy Collins had to plan without two new signings, Eoin Porter and Abdeen Abdul as their registrations were not rubber stamped by the FAI.
Cory and Evan Galvin and Ethan Boyle were the suspended players. Cobh were the dominant team throughout and when they scored two goals just before the interval the final outcome was never in any doubt.
Although visiting keeper Eoghan Daly did make a string of late saves, he was finally beaten by a Shane Mackey strike but it just put a gloss on the scoreboard as the Blues failed to really reach the same heights as their display the week before against Shelbourne.
The visitors missed a golden chance to go in front inside three minutes when a superb ball from Stephen Christopher down the right channel for former Blues player Stephen Kenny put the attacker into the clear but he blazed a right-footed shot wide of the near post with only Robert Birdsall to beat.
Brian Nolan went close to putting his side in front on 11 minutes when he took a pass on the right side of the penalty area from Dean Reidy but after turning onto his left-foot, his effort flashed over the crossbar of Cobh keeper Eoghan Daly.
The Blues created another chance to find the back of the net on 31 minutes when Shane Dineen sent in a flag kick from the right to the back post where Darren Murphy knocked the ball down into the path of Colum Nugent but he blazed over the bar from ten yards.
Stephen Kenny missed a great chance on 38 minutes when he headed over a right-wing cross from Adam O’Sullivan but made amends with a deserved goal three minutes later when Cobh took advantage of a mistake in the Blues defence.
Stephen Christopher took full advantage when Colum Nugent lost possession in the centre of defence to set up Kenny and he drilled a low right-footed shot past Blues keeper Robert Birdsall from 16 yards.
Two minutes into added time in the first half Stephen Christopher stepped over a free kick 35-yards from goal after a foul on Shane O’Connor and beat keeper Birdsall with a right-footed effort when it looked as if the netminder was in a great position to save.
Mark Walsh went agonisingly close to bringing the Blues back into the game on 62 minutes when he rose highest inside the penalty area to meet a Shane Dineen corner from the right side but keeper Eoghan Daly produced a stunning save.
The game was up for the home side less than three minutes later when Blues keeper Robert Birdsall, who once played with Cobh Ramblers, gifted the visitors a third goal when he somehow managed to leave a looping cross from Ryan Goldsmith sail over his head.
Daly was finally beaten in the third minute of added time when Dean Reidy sent in a cross from the left that was volleyed to the back of the net by central defender Shane Mackey but it was a mere consolation as the Blues slipped to their 13th defeat of the season.
WATERFORD UNITED: Robert Birdsall, Dean Reidy, Column Nugent (Mikie Rowe `66), Dylan Mernagh, Shane Mackey, Shane Dineen, Darren Murphy, Brian Nolan (Mark Walsh `46), Anthony McAlavey, Aaron O’Connor, Daniel Pender
COBH RAMBLERS: Eoghan Daly, Adam O’Sullivan, Anthony O’Donnell, James Furlong, Kevin Mulcahy, Jason Abbott, Stephen Christopher, Christopher McCarthy (Ryan Goldsmith `26), Stephen Kenny, Shane O’Connor, Kynan Rocks
REFEREE: Sean Grant
