Cobh respond to Rowe’s goal
Late let-off for Wexford FC as Ramblers rattle the post
WEXFORD FC missed out on a chance to move into third spot in the SSE Airtricity League of Ireland First Division table when Cobh Ramblers recovered with a second-half equalising goal in this back fixture played on an immaculate freshly-mown Ferrycarrig Park sod on Monday.
James Keddy’s side sit in fourth position instead, two points behind Athlone Town, and in truth they should be happy to have shared the spoils because they were almost rocked by a late, late sucker-punch.
Eight additional minutes had been announced, after a long delay when Cobh full-back Cian Browne was treated for a head injury before being stretchered off approaching the end of the third quarter.
And after Seán McHale took one for the team and was booked for a foul near the edge of the penalty area in a central location, netminder Owen Mason was beaten by the free-kick that followed.
Thankfully for Wexford, Dean Larkin’s sweet strike struck the right post, and a further two long throws from the visitors were successfully defended before the game concluded in stalemate.
There had been disappointment for young Kaylem Harnett in his last League of Ireland game as a 16-year-old (his birthday is this Wednesday), when he was forced off with an apparent hamstring injury in the 24th minute.
He had been playing in an advanced midfield role ahead of Luka Lovic and Kian Corbally, offering support to the front three.
One of his early runs led to a save from Cobh’s Darragh Burke, helped by a partial block by Justin Eguaibor that took the sting out of it.
Harnett was injured in the process of releasing striker Thomas Oluwa for a shot that was saved by the Ramblers netminder, although the flag was up for offside at any rate.
Wexford had hit the woodwork in the fourth minute, courtesy of Seán McHale’s header after a long throw by fellow centre-half Cian O’Malley, with Mark Hanratty’s shot blocked in the follow-up.
Cobh grew into the game and had a good spell that included a missed chance for Nolan Evers after David Bosnjak was initially denied by Owen Mason.
However, the hosts saw a Mikie Rowe free-kick turned on to the post and gathered by Burke before they hit the front in the 43rd minute.
Rowe had laid one on a plate for Oluwa in Friday’s win against Kerry, and this time roles were reversed.
Oluwa worked hard to win the ball in the box and, as Burke advanced, he slid a pass to the right for Rowe to finish for his eighth goal of the season.
The lead was shortlived, with the quest for a second successive clean sheet foiled just over five minutes into the new half.
Cobh applied pressure down the right, and a clever step-over by
Jack Larkin left David Bosnjak to deliver a low shot that beat Mason for the equaliser.
Rowe struck a half-volley from a James Crawford corner-kick narrowly wide before an aerial challenge between Aaron Dobbs and Cian Browne in the box led to a yellow card for Wexford’s replacement for Kian Corbally, and an extended period treating the Cobh player before he made his way to the nearby ambulance.
Aaron Robinson was only five minutes into the fray when he should have done better from a Brandon McCann lay-off, with Seán McHale making a vital block on Liam Kervick at the other end just 50 seconds later.
Cian Curtis was only inches away from getting his head to a Dobbs cross at the start of additional time, while Robinson scuffed a chance after a corner.
However, Cobh came closer to striking a late winner from that Dean Larkin free-kick, with the Wexford contingent relieved to survive.
Ferrycarrig Park will host a third successive league fixture on Friday at 7.45 p.m., and it promises to be another very interesting one as visitors Bray Wanderers currently sit four points behind their eastcoast rivals in sixth place.
Wexford FC: Owen Mason; Reece Webb, Cian O’Malley, Seán McHale, James Crawford; Luka Lovic, Kian Corbally; Kaylem Harnett; Mikie Rowe (capt.), Thomas Oluwa, Mark Hanratty. Subs. – Darragh Levingston for Harnett, inj. (24), Aaron Dobbs for Corbally (HT), Aaron Robinson for Lovic (64), Brandon McCann for Crawford (64), Cian Curtis for Rowe (83), also Alex Moody, Carl Lennox.
Cobh Ramblers: Darragh Burke; Nolan Evers, Justin Eguaibor, Breandán Frahill, Cian Browne; Dan McKay, Dean Larkin; Liam Kervick, Jack Larkin (capt.), James O’Leary; David Bosnjak. Subs. – Charlie O’Brien for Browne, inj. (67), Tiernan O’Brien for Kervick (80), Luka La Bervet for O’Leary (90+1), also Cathal O’Hanlon, Alessandro DeSanctis, David Eguaibor.
Referee: Mark Moynihan (Cork).