Cobh Ramblers 1 Waterford FC 0
Waterford FC started their second half of the Airtricity First Division campaign with a below par performance that saw them lose for the second time on the road this season when they lost out to Cobh Ramblers by a goal to nil at St Coleman’s Park.
Keith Long made three changes to the side that beat Bray two weeks ago with Dean McMenamy missing out through injury, Shane Griffin was on the bench while Giles Philips was also an absentee through illness. Eddie Nolan, Tunmise Sobowale and Thomas Oluwa all started.
However, there was little to cheer about in a dull opening half with only one real chance falling to the Blues as Connor Parsons got on the end of an Oluwa cross but his powerful shot was blocked on the line by Charlie Lyons.
Blues blushes were saved by the woodwork as Wilson Waweru’s fine effort beat Paul Martin but it hit the crossbar before flying over.
Waterford fell behind on 53 minutes when Waweru raced onto a long ball before rounding Martin and firing into the net.
Barry Baggley and Eddie Nolan both had chances to level the game but neither could get the final vital touch to force the ball home. And there were chaotic scenes deep in added time when Niall O Keeffe’s long range shot was deflected into the net by Parsons only for the goal to ruled out for offside after assistant referee Christopher Braganza insisted that Ryan Burke had touched the ball while in an offside position.
Despite the protests of the Waterford players , referee Ray Matthews disallowed the goal and Cobh held on for their first win over the Blues since 2017.
COBH RAMBLERS: Lee Steacy, Justin Eguaibor, Brendan Frahill, Charlie Lyons, Wilson Waweru (Jake Hegarty ’84), Pierce Phillips (Callum Stringer ’76), Daragh O’Sullivan-Connell, Jack Doherty (Conor Drinan ’49), Luke Desmond (Charlie O’Brien ’76), Tiernan O’Brien, Jason Abbott.
WATERFORD FC: Paul Martin, Tunmise Sobowale (Shane Griffin ’71), Eddie Nolan (Romeo Akachukwu ’84), Kilian Cantwell, Ryan Burke, Niall O’Keeffe, Barry Baggley, Connor Parsons, Thomas Oluwa (Wassim Aouachria ’67), Ronan Coughlan, Roland Idowu.
Referee: Ray Matthews (Kerry).
