The last game before the mid-season break sees bottom club Cobh Ramblers host league leaders Shelbourne on Friday at St Colman’s Park. On paper this looks like an easy win for the visitors but Cobh have definitely improved recently and Shels only beat Cobh 2-0 when the sides met in TolkaPark backin April.

After the FAI Ford Cup action last week, the sides turn their attention back to the league. Cobh were beaten by Premier Division side Derry 2-0 in a tight cup game at St Colman’s while Shelbourne progressed to the next round with a narrow 1-0 win over Waterford United.

Cobh currently sit on three points, rooted to the bottom of the table eleven points off Shamrock Rovers B. This season hasn’t gone to plan and the Cork side remain without a win this year. Shelbourne on the other hand have excelled this year and are in good shape to return to the Premier Division. They are four points clear of Galway FC as the halfway point in the season beckons.

Andrew Bhandarkar remains a long term absentee for Ramblers while Sean O’Mahony, Cian Murphy and Rob Lynch will all miss the game due to the Leaving Cert. It is hoped that Eoin Hastings and Keith O’Flynn will recover from knocks in time for the game. Ron Stanton started his first game back at the club  against Derry and is expected to continue in the Cobh side.

Shelbourne are without John Sullivan and Willo McDonagh for the game due to injury. Shane Dolan has also left the club by mutual consent.

The sides last meeting at St Colman’s Park was a 1-1 draw in 2007, the year that Ramblers won the First Division with Davin O’Neill scoring a penalty for Cobh that day. Cobh were undefeated in all four meetings between the sides that year.

The Rams have definitely improved in recent games but it will be very tough against Johnny McDonnell’s side. Shels haven’t won in their last three league games and will hope to put an end to that run on Friday. If Cobh are to have any hope of moving up the table they will need to pick up something here and that won’t be easy against a Shelbourne side who expect to win.

Cobh Ramblers: 

Injured:  Andrew Bhandarkar

Doubtful: Sean O’Mahony, Cian Murphy, Rob Lynch, Eoin Hastings, Keith O’Flynn

Suspensions: None

Shelbourne:

Injured: John Sullivan, Willo McDonagh

Doubtful: None

Suspension: None

Referee: Robert Hennessy

Venue: St Colman’s Park

 Kick Off:  7:45pm

Preview by Thomas Stafford