TREATY United boosted their play-off push with a 3-0 victory over Cobh Ramblers at the Markets Field on Friday night.
Sean McSweeney opened the scoring in the first half before late goals from Anthony O’Donnell and a superb William Armshaw effort rounded off the scoring.
Manager Tommy Barrett made a number of changes from the 1-1 draw with Wexford FC with Charlie Fleming, Clyde O’Connell and Matt Keane all coming into the team. O’Connell partnered both Jack Lynch and Ed McCarthy in midfield while Sean McSweeney led the forward line.
The home side were faster out of the blocks and took the lead in the ninth minute as Marc Ludden’s cross from the left was attacked by McSweeney who beat goalkeeper Sean Barron to the ball to tap home. Two wild shots from midfielder Jason Abbott was the best that Darren Murphy’s visitors could muster.
Steven Christopher was busy in the first period and his driving run and shot travelled wide of Barron’s left hand post. The Cobh netminder was instrumental in maintaining the one goal deficit as Treaty captain Lynch’s header was superbly tipped onto the post by the former Waterford man.
Christopher was having his most industrious performance at the Garryowen venue and he was picked out by O’Connell but Barron closed down the angle and blocked the effort.
Treaty had the first chance of the second half as Lynch attacked a Ludden corner but it went wide. At this juncture, the visitors began to assert themselves with Dave O’Leary orchestrating play from deep. Over-confidence from Barrett’s men in their own half caused problems as they surrendered possession and Conor Drinan’s attempt to catch Tadgh Ryan off his line proved fruitless.
Moments later, O’Leary and Drinan combined as Cobh were beginning to make regular forays down the right-hand side but the former Waterford man struck the post from a relatively narrow angle. Just after the hour mark, O’Donnell ferociously attacked a Ludden corner but his header rebounded off the crossbar.
The Limerick side were beginning to re-treat and Barrett introduced William Armshaw in an attempt to relieve the pressure on his defence. Just three minutes later, Treaty doubled their lead when Lynch re-cycled an overhit Ludden corner and his mishit shot was re-directed into the net by O’Donnell who scored his fourth goal of the season.
That goal killed any hopes of a Cobh revival and the best was yet to come. Winger Matt Keane had another solid outing upon his recall to the team and he provided a great assist when his cross from the right was emphatically volleyed home by substitute Armshaw for a superb goal to round off a great result.
The win means that Treaty move up a place to fourth and are just two points behind next week’s opponents Galway United. More importantly, they are now 11 points clear of Cork City in 6th position with just six games left.
Treaty United: Tadgh Ryan, Charlie Fleming, Mark Walsh, Anthony O’Donnell, Marc Ludden, Jack Lynch (Bryan Murphy) Ed McCarthy (Callum McNamara), Clyde O’Connell Matt Keane (Conor Melody), Steven Christopher (William Armshaw), Sean McSweeney (Kieran Hanlon)
Cobh Ramblers: Sean Barron, Nathan Coleman, Charlie Lyons, Ben O’Riordan, Alex Hill, Dave O’Leary (Darren Murphy), Jason Abbott, Lee Devitt (Ciaran Griffin), Nathan O’Connell (Fionn Duggan), Conor Drinan (Killian Cooper), Danny O’Connell (Stephen O’Leary)
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