Ramblers out of step

NATIONAL LEAGUE PREMIER DIVISION/Cobh Ramblers 0 Bohemians 1:  BOHEMIANS TOOK full advantage of St Patrick's Athletic slip-up on Friday, going to Cobh on Saturday to become the first team to take away three points from St Colman's Park in 21 months.

Killian Brennan's 14th-minute strike after a great Neal Fenn pass put paid to the Cobh challenge. But the home side recovered well from an excellent Bohemians display in the first half to threaten an equaliser on more than one occasion.

The southerners' most notable missed opportunity came from the penalty spot, Shane Barrett the unfortunate player after Ken Oman, who went off soon after with an illness, handled the ball in the 54th minute.

That miss added further woe to manager Stephen Henderson's season thus far.

"For the first half we were awful," he said. "In the second half, when we pressed the ball and started doing what we were suppose to be doing, we had a good few chances.

"That must be seven pennos we've missed on the trot, I don't know what to say about that to be honest.

"It was a good save from the 'keeper, it's just a mental thing that even from play we're creating chances, we're getting crosses into the box, and people are not taking on the responsibility of hitting the front post and the back post," added the frustrated Cobh boss.

His opposite number was relieved.

"They were very contrasting halves," said Pat Fenlon.

"We should have been out of sight at half-time. We knew Cobh wouldn't be as poor again in the second half and they put a lot of pressure on us. "They put some great balls into the box. We probably sat too deep but I can't be too harsh on them."

The win now means Fenlon's men move to within four points of the leaders.

"It'll be a tight league. People might call them funny results but I don't think they are.

"Everyone talks about the so-called big clubs but the other teams are well organised. It's a tough league."

COBH RAMBLERS: J McCarthy; A Carey (capt), K Murray, S Guthrie, J Meade; M Mulconry, J Kearney, K Coleman, M O'Shea; D O'Neill, K O'Reilly. Subs: G Cambridge for O'Reilly, R Long for Kearney (75); R Lally for Coleman (83). S Mulcahy not used.

BOHEMIANS: B Murphy; O Heary, K Oman, L Burns, C Powell; JP Kelly, S O'Donnell, G Cronin, K Brennan; G Crowe, N Fenn. Subs: J Byrne for Crowe, J McGuinness for Oman (both 66); M Rossiter for O'Donnell (79); H Singh C Konopka not used.

Referee: H Whoriskey (Meath).

© 2008 The Irish Times

This article appears in the print edition of the Irish Times