Cobh crash City homecoming as Kelleher red guides Queenstown to win

By Donncha Noonan | Photo by Kevin Barry Dorney

After ensuring their promotion back to the top flight with a 1-1 draw in Bray last Friday, City returned to the cross as champions looking to right a wrong from earlier in the season by beating Cork rivals Cobh Ramblers. That redemption wouldn’t come for the hosts, as Cobh edged out ten-man City to do the double over City at the Cross this season.

Barry Robson went with just one change from the team that drew in Bray, with Charlie Lyons dropping out for Chris N’Sa, with the Canadian full-back making his first appearance for City since signing over two months ago.

Fran Rockett also made one change after his side’s draw at home to UCD. Anthony Adenopo dropped to the bench, with former City winger Dylan McGlade stepping into the side.

City started the game brightly, and had a great chance to take the lead eleven minutes in. Ruairi Keating won the ball in midfield and slipped a ball wide to Seani Maguire, who returned the favour by cutting in and slotting an inviting ball onto the City striker’s run. Keats took the shot on first time, but Timo Martin came out to smother the effort.

City’s quick opening pinned Cobh back, and the hosts went close yet again three minutes later. Hans Mpongo picked up the ball very wide on the left hand side of midfield, and drove down the sideline at the Cobh backline. He cut inside at the edge of the box and curled a shot trying to find the far bottom corner, but his effort whistled past the far post.

The hosts’ pressure finally paid off in the nineteenth minute, as they managed to take the lead. Mpongo received the ball deep down the left hand side and took on Cal Honohan, before beating him to the byline and pulling a ball across. Seani Maguire arrived at the ball and took a touch before poking the ball past Martin to give his side the lead in the derby.

Despite the positive first half from the Champions, things got harder for them right at the end of the half. A floated ball over the top of the City defence caused trouble, with a trailing Fiacre Kelleher bringing down Rhys Gourdie as he looked to get on the end of the ball, leaving referee Daniel Murphy no choice but to send the City captain off, leaving the hosts down to ten men.

That was all then for the first half, as City looked the better of the two sides, but the red card left their job quite difficult in the second half if they were to hold on to their lead.

City noticeably struggled more at the beginning of the second half, and it cost them with the visitors grabbing an equaliser seven minutes into the second period. A dangerous corner was whipped onto the City six yard box, with Jordan Adeyemi rising highest and beating Conor Brann to the ball before powering a header home to level the game.

Cobh rode their momentum to the fullest after the equaliser, by grabbing the lead just eight minutes later. Rhys Gourdie took the ball on the left wing and went at Chris N’Sa, before his shot attempt was deflected by the Canadian into the path of Shane Griffin. The midfielder shifted past the arriving Rory Feely before prodding the ball into the back of the net to complete Cobh’s turnaround.

Things got even better for the east Cork outfit with five minutes to play, as they doubled their advantage. A long ball forward off a City set piece caught the covering Conor Drinan off guard, with the full back slipping and allowing Anthony Adenopo to bear down on goal. He tried to guide the ball past Conor Brann, with the keeper getting a touch on it but it wasn’t quite enough to keep it out as the visitors made it three.

The game seemed dead and buried at this stage, but City did get a consolation goal in added time. Timo Martin palmed away a corner which landed on the head of Rory Feely. He nodded the ball back towards goal, where Seani Maguire was on hand to volley the ball home from close range.

And with that brought the full-time whistle, as Cobh spoiled CIty’s coming home party and by doing so, pulled the fanbase right back down to reality. I thought City were decent in the first half, not special but decent, and then collapsed big time in the second half. Of course the red card doesn’t help, but even still I would like to think that with ten men we could have put up a better fight, especially considering the circumstances. Silver lining, it should at least give notice that we indeed need many bodies are we to achieve anything next year.

My Man of the Match goes to Jordan Adeyemi. He’s had a great season so far since joining Cobh, and he continued that against City. He caused real issues for the City backline especially in the second half, and he grabbed his much deserved goal off of a corner to kickstart his team’s comeback.

City will look to redeem themselves on Friday as they host UCD at the Cross. Meanwhile in Cobh, they will travel to Wexford as the playoff race comes to a dramatic closing stage.