Treaty United suffer disappointing defeat away to Cobh Ramblers in First Division

TREATY United suffered a disappointing 3-0 defeat against second-place Cobh Ramblers in wet conditions in the SSE Airtricity League First Division at St Colman’s Park on Friday evening.

The result continues Tommy Barrett’s men’s poor run of form, with just one win in their last eight games. With only five matches remaining, the Markets Field-based side is clinging to the last of the four promotion play-off berths, with Finn Harps breathing down their neck, as just three points separate the sides. The Donegal men also boast two games in hand.

Cobh Ramblers started Friday night's brightly with plenty of early pressure. Cian Murphy had the game's first chance, glancing a Cian Bargary cross over in the sixth minute after a sweeping Rams move.

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Dylan McGlade was next to threaten, his looping effort from a distance drifting narrowly wide.

The breakthrough came on the quarter-hour mark when McGlade latched onto another Bargary delivery and hammered home from close range to give the Rams a deserved early lead.

Treaty tried to respond soon after with Mark Byrne’s thunderous effort blocked by Cian Coleman, before the defender almost doubled the home advantage at the other end at 25 minutes, only to see his header cleared off the line.

On the half-hour, Shane Griffin scuffed his clearance and nodded a looping cross back into the danger area, where Treaty’s Patrick Ferry’s half-volley cannoned off the post.

McGlade then went close again for Cobh, his strike from the edge flashing past the upright.

Just before the interval, things went from bad to worse for the Shannonsiders as Robbie Lynch was penalised for a foul on Barry Coffey inside the area. Coffey stepped up and converted the resultant spot-kick with a stuttered run-up, sending Matt Boylan the wrong way to double Cobh’s advantage at the break.

Three minutes after the restart the game was effectively put to bed, as McGlade notched his second of the night. Rhys Gourdie broke to the endline before cutting the ball back for McGlade, who showed terrific composure to calmly slot it home.

In the 54th minute, Patrick Ferry went close to pulling one back as his effort from the edge of the box was deflected narrowly wide. Colin Conroy went close from the resulting corner, but his effort whistled wide of the post.

From there, Treaty began to push in search of a way back into the contest, but the hosts settled into a solid defensive block. Despite their efforts, the visitors struggled to manufacture anything clear-cut as Cobh saw out the game with relative comfort. 

On the stroke of the final whistle, Treaty almost snatched a consolation goal, with substitutes Roy Lawlor and Valeriy Dolya linking up well before the latter was denied by the onrushing Tim Martin.

Cobh immediately broke down the other end, forcing a terrific late save from Matt Boylan to keep the scoreline intact.

Next up for Treaty United is a home tie against basement side Athlone Town on Friday night next, 7.45pm.

Meanwhile, Cobh Ramblers continue to look up the table, where they will head to the South East to face playoff-chasing Wexford.

COBH RAMBLERS: Tim Martin, Niall O’Keefe (Mickey Carroll 88), Shane Griffin (John O’Donovan 37), Jonas Hakkinen, Lestyn Hughes (Harvey Cribb 71), Cian Bargary, Barry Coffey, Cian Coleman, Rhys Gourdie, Dylan McGlade (Sam Bellis 71), Cian Murphy (Matthew Whelan 86).

TREATY UNITED: Matt Boylan, Richkov Boevi, Robbie Lynch, Evan O’Connor, Lee Devitt, Fionn Doherty, Mark Byrne (Roy Lawlor 61), Colin Conroy (Steven Healy 70), Connor Wilson (Ben Lee 61), Joe Hanson (Niko Kozlowski 70), Patrick Ferry (Valeriy Dolay 88).

REFEREE: Alan Patchell