Cobh Ramblers continue their battle at the top of the table with Dundalk after they extended their impressive run to fifteen league games without defeat with a 3-0 win against Monaghan United at St Colman’s Park.
Ramblers, who gave debuts to three young players, led 2-0 at the break with goals from defender Shane Guthrie who scored with a powerful header and Davin O'Neill who scored his fourth of the season.
They wrapped up the points when Gareth Cambridge tucked home the third ten minutes after the break.
Coming into the game on the back of a tremendous fourteen-match unbeaten league run, and a home win over leaders Dundalk last weekend, Cobh had to play without two of their most experienced players as captain Alan Carey and centre back Kevin Murray were suspended.
So coming into the side were Peter O'Halloran, a younger brother of Aston Villa's Republic of Ireland international Stephen, who was making his senior debut and Michael Mulconrey who was returning to the club for his first outing of the season.
The visitors also had to contend with a couple of suspensions as both Barry Bourke and Kevin Williamson were out, with Brian McDonnell and Keane Mackey coming into a side that also included Danny Woods as an emergency signing in goal.
The Monaghan goalkeeper was busy in the early stages as the home side attacked, which yielded two goals in the opening half.
The fist after nine minutes saw former Cork City and Shamrock Rovers centre back Shane Guthrie rise in the penalty area to powerfully head home John Kearney's corner kick.
In-form midfielder Kearney also created the second goal when his well struck pass set up Davin O'Neill, who beat one challenge before rolling the second past Woods from ten yards.
Despite a couple of good efforts from Monaghan's right-sided midfielder Darren Meenan, one which forced a fine diving save from Stephen Deasy, Cobh stretched their lead ten minutes into the second half.
Full back John Meade sent in a good cross from the left and young Gareth Cambridge fired home a shot from 15 yards to wrap up the points.
As well as teenage defender O'Halloran making his debut, manager Stephen Henderson also gave senior debuts to late substitutes Roy Long and John Spillane.
Cobh Ramblers: Deasy; Mulconrey, Guthrie, O'Halloran, Meade; O'Neill, Barrett, Kearney, Cambridge; Cummins, O'Shea.
Subs: McCarthy for O'Shea (65 mins), Long for Kearney (83 mins), Spillane for Cummins (88 mins).
Monaghan United: Woods, McDonnell, Whelan, Mooney, Feeney, Gannon, Meade, Darcy, Farrell, Doyle, Mackay.
Subs: Heffernan for Feeney (15 mins), McCluskey for Farrell (65 mins), Finnegan for Heffernan (65 mins).
Referee: P Sutton (Clare).
