League Preview: Cabinteely -v- Cobh Ramblers

 

Looking to take advantage of the recently increased publicity surrounding the League of Ireland, Cabo will be hoping to attract some new faces to their terraces on Friday, with the club offering half-price entry to anyone with a ticket from Tuesday’s historic victory for Dundalk over BATE Borisov. 

 

The South Dublin side were unlucky to fall to a 1-0 defeat in their most recent First Division outing against  Drogheda United in a closely contested game last week, and will be looking to turn in a performance similar to that of a fortnight ago when they saw off Waterford United 2-0. 

 

Currently just two points above bottom-placed Athlone Town, Cabinteely will be desperate to capitalise on the Ramblers’ less than impressive record on the road this season and claim all three points. 

 

Cabinteely themselves are signifficantly stronger when playing at Stradbrook, and have recorded each of their three league wins, and 11 of their 12 points this season on home soil. 

 

Cobh will be eager to put an end to their run of three games without a win, having last claimed all three points with a 2-1 defeat of Drogheda United on July 9. 

 

Currently six points adrift of UCD in third, while also comfortably six points clear of Shelbourne in fifth, the Rams will be looking to put together something of a late season surge into contention for promotion starting on Friday.

 

In order to claim all three points, the visitors will need to overturn their unimpressive form on the road this season, having won just four of their 10 away matches to date.

 

Referee: Ben Connolly.

 

 

Cobh will travel to Stradbrook hopeful of completing a hattrick of wins against Cabo this season, with Friday’s visitors claiming victory over their hosts on two occasions already this season; 2-1 at Stradbrook in May and 2-0 at St. Coleman’s Park in June. 

 

In their six league meetings to date, Cabinteely have only defeated Cobh once, which came in September 2015 as the sides met for the fourth and final time in that campaign. 

 

Cobh’s backline will likely be tested more than in previous meetings, as Cabinteely come into the game having scored seven times in their last two home matches, while conceding just once. 

 

 

Cabinteely 3/1; Draw 12/5; Cobh Ramblers 5/6.

 

 

If the meeting in April is anything to go by, this will be an open game with both sides to have more than their fare share of chances; 2-2.

 

 

Injured: Karl Byrne (Concussion), Victor Ekanem (Ankle), Shane Boyle. 

Doubtful: Evan Galvin. 

Suspended: None. 

 

Injured: Unknown. 

Doubtful: Unknown. 

Suspended: Shane O’Connor.