Blues come behind to snatch a draw in Cobh
COBH RAMBLERS 2 - WATERFORD UNITED 2
Waterford United came from behind to snatch a draw from the jaws of defeat as a debut goal from Ethan Boyle gave Tommy Griffin’s ten men a share of the spoils against Cobh Ramblers at St. Colman’s Park on Saturday evening last.
After twice going behind in the tie and after having Vinny Sullivan sent off in the first half of the game, the Blues kept battling but looked set to lose again, however Boyle bundled the ball over the line from close range in second half injury time to give his side a point.
After playing second fiddle to the Blues for the majority of the half, the hosts broke the deadlock on 27 minutes when Stephen Kenny whipped in a cross from what looked an offside right-side position but when the flag stayed down, Martin Deady rose at the back post to head home from an acute angle.
The lead lasted less than four minutes as Waterford were back in the game when Willie John Kiely received the ball back from Kevin O’Connor after a throw in on the left-side and his cross was superbly headed to the net by Ross Fitzpatrick past a helpless Robert Birdsall.
With less than sixty seconds remaining in the first half, the Blues were dealt a massive blow when captain Vinny Sullivan, who picked up a yellow card on 12 minutes for a tackle on Kynan Rocks, received his marching orders from referee Mazur for questioning a wrong free kick decision awarded by the poor official.
The first opportunity of the second period fell to Waterford United just two minutes in when Ross Fitzpatrick did really well on the edge of the penalty area to set up Conor Coad but his left-footed shot was just over the bar when he should have hit the target.
Cobh Ramblers restored their advantage on 53 minutes when Stephen Kenny got free out on the right side of the penalty area before crossing to the near post where Ronan Stanton was on hand to steer the ball past Matthew Connor from close range.
It has to be said that the Blues didn’t deserve to be behind as they were in control and they could have drew level three minutes later when Conor Coad sent in a left-wing corner kick that saw Kevin O’Connor’s header cleared off the line by Anthony O’Donnell with the former protesting the ball was over the line.
As time ticked down, it was Ethan Boyle that replaced O’Connor and he proved to be the hero for his side deep into five minutes of added time when Brian Nolan’s corner kick from the left found Gavin O’Donovan at the back post and his shot was bundled over the line by the new U19 signing with Cobh looked for handball.
COBH RAMBLERS: Birdsall, Frahill, O’Donnell, Comerford, Burns, O’Connell, Deady (McCarthy `76), Waters, Stanton, Rocks, Kenny
WATERFORD UNITED: Connor, Whittle, Fitzgerald, O’Donovan, Corcoran, Fitzpatrick, Nolan, Sullivan, Coad (Walsh `62), O’Connor (Boyle `87), Kiely (Power `82)
Referee: Tom Mazur (Cork)
