Soccer

Cobh Ramblers into EA Sports Cup final after beating Dundalk

Chris Hull’s goal seals a first ever senior national cup final appearance for the club

Cobh celebrate Christopher Hull’s goal against Dundalk. Photograph: Oisin Keniry/Inpho

Mon Aug 6 2018 - 19:25

Cobh Ramblers 1 Dundalk 0

Cobh Ramblers are into the first senior national cup final in their history.

Stephen Henderson’s side’s heroics at St Colman’s Park on Monday afternoon booked their place in the EA Sports Cup decider following a sensational display.

This was the first time Ramblers reached a senior national cup semi final since 1983, and now the’ve gone one step further.

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Dundalk made nine changes from the team that started in Cyprus last Thursday in their defeat to AEK Larnaca. Dylan Connolly and Daniel Cleary were the two from that Europa League clash that started in Cobh, as Stephen Kenny rested most of his Lilywhite regulars.

Cobh began full of intent and looked promising in the early stages. Stephen Christopher saw an early curling effort saved by Dundalk goalkeeper Gabriel Sava.

The underdogs were disciplined without the ball and purposeful on it. They went close once more when Shane O'Connor played a beautiful ball through for Denzil Fernandes but his dangerous ball in was cleared by the Dundalk defence.

Dundalk, who had Connolly causing problems out wide, went close to taking the lead themselves in the 28th minute, when Stephen Folan headed just wide from a John Mountney free kick.

With 15 minutes remaining though it was Ramblers who hit the front. Christopher played a wonderful ball through the Dundalk defence, Chris Hull ran through and applied the necessary finish past Sava to send the home crowd wild.

Ramblers kept going right until the very end and there was a euphoric atmosphere after the final whistle. Derry City now await in the final.

COBH RAMBLERS: A Mylod; I Mylod, J McSweeney, B O’Riordan, K Taylor; S O’Connor, G Walker; S Christopher, D Hurley (C Donnellan 88), D Fernandes; C Hull (C Leonard 88).

DUNDALK: G Sava; G Poynton , D Cleary, S Folan; D Massey; J Mountney, K Chvedukas (J O’Keefe 78); D Connolly, R Murray, K Fitzsimons (D Jarvis ht); S Byrne (J McGrath 65).

Referee: S Grant (Wexford).

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