By Séamus Leonard
Strugglers Cobh Ramblers ground out a precious point at Tolka Park as Shamrock Rovers’ season continues to falter.
The Hoops had the ball in the net in the 11th minute but striker Dessie Baker was penalised for a push in the box.
Rovers striker Padraig Amond then cleared off the line in the 32nd minute after Cobh’s Davin O’Neill’s header was blocked.
And the draw was secured when Ramblers’ James McCarthy saved a thunderbolt from Rovers captain Aidan Price in the 88th minute.
The recent deluge of rain in the capital meant that both sides were greeted by a pitch that looked much greener than in recent weeks.
The opening stages were quite disjointed, with neither outfit able to find any rhythm in the first ten minutes.
But that changed after Baker’s goal was disallowed. His strike partner Amond played a clever ball over the top and Baker fended off Kevin Murray before slipping a shot under the body of Ramblers stopper McCarthy.
However, referee Dave McKeon’s whistle had blown before the Hoops’ number 10 had gotten his effort off, deeming that Baker had used illegal means to get the better of the Cobh defender.
Colin O’Brien was in the centre of Cobh’s midfield, just hours after his loan move from neighbours Cork City was confirmed. A lack of first team opportunities was behind the 33-year-old’s decision to make the move to St Colman’s Park, and he had the look of a player who was short of match practice.
O’Brien’s new side should have been behind when in the 21st minute. Tadhg Purcell played an intelligent ball into the path of Ger O’Brien that helped the latter get to the by-line. The full-back’s cross was powerfully met by Baker but the former Manchester United man’s header came crashing back off the crossbar.
The visitors thought they had taken the lead in the 32nd minute when O’Neill’s close range header was somehow blocked and then Amond hooked the ball away from the danger zone. Cobh were claiming the ball had crossed the line, but McKeon gave the appeals no credence.
The Cork side then had a penalty appeal waved away five minutes after the interval. Ray Lally threaded a ball through to the run of Kieran O’Reilly who was tackled from behind at the edge of the box by Price. It was a risky challenge but the Rovers skipper was adjudged to have made contact with the ball.
Rovers went close on the hour mark when Amond’s effort looped just wide, and Ramblers responded with a low drive from Lally that skidded past Murphy’s upright.
With 25 minutes remaining, Rovers manager Pat Scully sprung Mark Leech, a recent acquisition from Galway United, from the bench to replace Amond.
As the game wore on the home crowd grew increasingly impatient with the lack of a breakthrough. One Hoops supporter shouted at Scully why hadn’t he got a decent midfielder ‘like Stephen Rice’ on the park. Rice has impressed since his move from Bohemians, but has been transfer-listed at his own request.
Leech nearly marked his debut with a goal but his volley was blocked behind for a corner by John Meade.
Rovers almost snatched the three points just under three minutes from time when Price came forward to unleash a swerving drive from 30 yards that McCarthy was happy to beat away.
McCarthy was called into action again three minutes into injury time when he tipped O’Brien’s cross away to safety from under his crossbar to guarantee Stephen Henderson’s charges a valuable point in their fight to escape the relegation zone.
The final whistle was greeted by a chorus of boos from the Rovers faithful, who are becoming disillusioned with a season that promised so much at the outset but has gradually deteriorated.
Shamrock Rovers: B Murphy; O’Brien, Price (c), Flynn, Treacy; Purcell, D O’Connor, Maguire, S O’Connor; Amond (Leech, 65 mins), Baker.
Cobh Ramblers: McCarthy; Carey (c), Murray, Guthrie, Meade; O’Neill (Mulcahy, 68 mins), O’Brien, J Kearney (Coleman, 74), Lally (A Kearney, 80); Cummins, O’Reilly.
Referee: Dave McKeon.
