Cobh Ramblers travel eastwards this Friday night to take on third place Waterford in another Munster Derby.

The Blues sit third in the table at present and spirits are high in the RSC with a FAI Cup semi-final on the horizon and a new owner at the helm. They come into the game on the back of a routine 3-0 win at Bray Wanderers. The ever-impressive Phoenix Patterson grabbed his 13th goal of the season

Ramblers’ last competitive outing was the club’s Munster Cup final victory over Cork City at Turners Cross. James O’Leary’s 30 yard free-kick saw the prestigious trophy arrive on the Great Island for the sixth time, a fitting occasion in our centenary year. Since then the club faced Cobh Wanderers in a mid-season friendly given last weekend’s week off.

Goalkeeper Sean Barron and attacker Conor Drinan remain the only injury concerns. Charlie Fleming, Darragh O’Sullivan Connell and Brendeán Frahill are all available again having been cup-tied for the Munster final.

Games between Cobh and Waterford have been a stalwart of the First Division for many years, with a vast array of players having spent time at both outfits.

The three meetings to date in 2022 have all gone the way of the Blues and Ramblers will be eager to put things right and try to catch eighth placed Athlone in the process. A win for Cobh would be a first league victory over their Munster rivals since 2017.

Waterford’s play-off spot in third is relatively assured but they’ll be eager to maintain form with some key games to come at the business end of the campaign.

Kick-off in the RSC is at 19:45, with the game being streamed live on LOITV here.