Cobh Ramblers 3-4 Longford Town.

Kieran Burke reports from St.Coleman's Park (@burko77_)

Due to site maintenance on www.theloiblog.com we have decided to post last night's Cobh Ramblers V Longford Town match report on our old blogger site to avoid any delays. Match report below:

I don't think it's possible to sum up a game like this in one word but if I had to the word I would use to describe this seven goal thriller is crazy!

3-1 down and only goalkeeper Chris Bennion saving "De Town" from further humiliation, Saturday night's comeback by Tony Cousins side will go down in Longford Town folklore especially for the extremely vocal away support that traveled from Longford on the day creating a fantastic atmosphere in an attendance of 7-5 at St.Coleman's Park.

It didn't take long for the game to come to life with Cobh taking the lead almost instantly as "De Town" back four fell asleep and allowed a free cross and a free header to be converted by, Ramblers top scorer this season, Conor Meade. (3 minutes gone, 1-0 Cobh).

Despite that early set back the traveling Red and Black army continued to get behind their team but just four minutes later they were shell-shocked as Longford's back four yet again failed to be alert to the danger of a wide ball as Davin O'Neill tucked away the cross with little or no pressure. (7 minutes played, 2-0 Cobh).

The Midlanders main man this season has been, without out doubt, David O'Sullivan and on Saturday night it was "Sully" who again helped dig Longford out of a whole as he took the game to Cobh's back four. Sullivan was getting to every ball played in behind and winning Longford plenty of corners and throw-ins high up the pitch not to mention the two point blank saves he drew from Ramblers 'keeper Robert Birdsall.

On the twenty minute mark the away side would capitilise on one of the many excellent corners whipped in by wide man Etanda Nkolo, who is fast becoming a crowd favorite among the Town followers. The former Mervue United man swung in a teasing in-swinger which caused chaos in the penalty area only for Town centre-half Willo McDonagh to scramble the ball home to fire Longford Town right back into contention. (20 minutes played, 2-1).

The half-time whistle sounded with both sets of fans confident that their team could still win this game in the second half but just two minutes into the second period it looked as if the Corkmen had taken a deserved three points. The Longford defence ignored two warning shots before failing to switch onto he danger in the box yet again as Davin O'Neill scored his second of the night and Cobh's third. (47 minutes played, 3-1 Cobh).

For the first time of the night it was the Cobh youngsters in the stand that could be heard as the Ramblers drum rattled. But you can't keep a good man down as the saying goes and after powering his way past the Cobh right-full, David O'Sullivan cut past any opposition before him and coolly followed it up with a curled shot straight into the top left-hand corner, this game wasn't over yet! (64 minutes played, 3-2).

Within minutes it was almost 3-3 only for Robert Birdsall to see the ball onto his crossbar and away to safety before Cobh passed up a huge opportunity to truly kill the game by making it 4-2 as a dangerous free-kick in was blazed over all of seven yards out to the relief of an exhausted away crowd.

Then came the moment of the match as a brilliant O'Sullivan breakaway down the left saw him dink a delightful cross to the centre of the penalty box where somehow midfielder Mark Salmon met it with his head to dink it all the way across the goals and against the post before finally settling in the net to scenes of pure joy for players and supporters, surely the job was done now? (81 minutes played, 3-3).

Both sides pressed in the final nine minutes plus stoppage time and after being 3-1 down and with such a long journey home I think everyone of the red and black persuasion was setting for a point but then out of no where in the final passage of play, the ball was swept out to the right wing where the dangerous Daniel Purdy was lying in wait as he left his man for dead before curling a glorious winning shot into the far left corner again! What a game and for the traveling Town players and fans, what a win! As for Cobh, Dave Hill's side will be sick as parrots this morning and surely asking themselves how did we lose that game?

Next up for Longford, who now occupy top spot, is a top of the table clash with 2013 surprise package to date Mervue United while Cobh will try to bounce back with a win away to, bottom side, Salthill Devon.

THE LOI BLOG man of the match: David O'Sullivan (Longford Town): As stated in the report, David O'Sullivan has been Longford's go to guy this season when they need digging out of a hole and yet again last night the pacey, powerful and confident striker came up trumps with a dominant performance which including the goal that really got Longford going and back into the game and for that reason he is THE LOI BLOG Man of he match.

Entertainment value: 9/10 - Goals, atmosphere and a stunning comeback in front of 705 spectators who will surely be back for more LOI football after this seven goal thriller, a great advert for not only the LOI but for the under promoted First Division.

Setanta Sports Cup semi-finals draw made

For the first time in Setanta Sports Cup history we had an all Airtricity League semi-final draw with two absolutely fantastic matches now to look forward to.

The draw took place shortly after the conclusion of last night's quarter-final ties which saw the two remaining Irish League sides, Glentoran and Linfield, eliminated after humiliating defeats to Sligo Rovers and Shamrock Rovers respectively while Derry City will not get the chance to right last seasons wrongs in the final as the Candystripes were dumped out by, former Setanta Cup champions, Drogheda United. With Cork City already through following a two-legged victory over Crusaders the following ties have been thrown up for the last four:

Shamrock Rovers v Cork City

Drogheda United v Sligo Rovers

The first legs will be played on Tuesday, April 16 and the second legs will take place on Monday, April 22. The final is fixed for Saturday, May 11.

Is there an all Rovers final on the cards or can former winners Cork City and Drogheda United make it to another final in an attempt to repeat some amazing history in this competition? Have your say by contacting THE LOI BLOG on our Facebook and Twitter pages while we are also contactable through email on LOIBLOG1@gmail.com or by simply commenting on this very post through Blogger. 

Linfield 1 (2) - 3 (7) Shamrock Rovers - Setanta Cup report

Shamrock Rovers marched into the semi-finals of the Setanta Sports Cup with another comprehensive win over Linfield in the second leg of their quarter-final at Windsor Park.

Trailing 4-1 after the first leg in Tallaght Stadium last week, Linfield faced a uphill task and got off to bright opening with Jamie Mulgrew twice going close and Peter Thompson heading just wide before they finally broke the deadlock when David Armstrong headed home from close range after Niall Quinn's corner had been flicked on by Philip Lowry in the 26th minute.

But hopes of a sensational comeback by David Jeffrey's side were dashed six minutes later when Quinn lost possession and watched in horror as Thomas Stewart skipped past Armstrong before drilling home a left-footed shot.

That left Linfield requiring three more goals to force extra time and four to win the tie but they kept battling on. Thompson was denied by Brian Murphy and the Blues striker then failed to get the touch at the back post that would have steered Michael Gault's cross to the net.

Their fate was sealed in the 69th minute when Stewart again profited from poor defending by the home side and headed home from close range before Dennehy finished off the scoring late on with a low drive past Linfield keeper Ross Glendenning.

Linfield: Glendinning, BJ Burns, Douglas, Armstrong, Quinn, Mulgrew, Gault, Lowry, McCaul, Carvill, Thompson.

Shamrock Rovers: Murphy, McCormack, Ledwith, McGuinness, Foran, Chambers (Finn 62), Robinson, Rice, O'Connor (Dennehy 56), Sheppard (McCabe 74), Stewart.

Referee: Mervyn Smith

Glentoran 0 (0) - 3 (8) Sligo Rovers - Setanta Cup report

In association with airtricityleague.ie

Sligo Rovers eased into the last four of the Setanta Sports Cup with a comfortable win in this quarter-final second leg at The Oval.

Ian Baraclough's side travelled to Belfast with the advantage of a 5-0 lead from the first leg at the Showgrounds and once Lee Lynch blasted home from 30 yards after just seven minutes any hopes that Glentoran had of a sensational comeback were gone.

Rafael Cretaro stretched Sligo's lead on 25 minutes when he raced on to a through ball and steered it past the advancing Aaron Hogg.

Sligo goalkeeper Gary Rogers was rarely troubled throughout the 90 minutes but he did make several decent saves, most notably from martin Murray and Jimmy Callagher.

Lee Martin sealed the deal in the 85th minute when he cut inside and smashed the ball into the top corner to earn Sligo a semi-final against Drogheda United.

Glentoran: Aaron Hogg; Calum Birney, Kevin Bradley, John McGuigan (Daniel Burns 69), Jimmy Callacher; David Howland, Marcus Kane (Billy McCullough 72), Martin Murray, Jim O'Hanlon (Richard Clarke 54); Andrew Waterworth, Mark Clarke.

Sligo Rovers: Gary Rogers; Alan Keane (Marty Owens 69), Evan McMillan, Jeff Henderson, Ryan Connelly; Keiran Djilali, Seamus Conneely (Shane McGinty 46), Lee Lynch, David Cawley, Pascal Millien; Raffaele Cretaro (Liam Martin 59).

Referee: Rob Rogers

Drogheda United 2 (3) - 1 (2) Derry City - Setanta Cup report

In association with airtricityleague.ie

Drogheda United made it through to the semi-finals of the Setanta Cup with a dramatic late victory over a Derry side who played almost the entire second half with ten men after Ryan McBride was red carded.

Substitute Ryan Brennan was the hero for the Boynesiders as he pounced late in stoppage time at the end to hit the winner and set up a semi-final clash with Sligo Rovers.

On a biting cold evening it was probably no surprise that it took a quarter of an hour before anything of note happened but when it did it almost yielded a goal for the home side.

Gavin Brennan's excellent work on the edge of the box set up David Cassidy whose shot appeared destined for the bottom corner until Kevin Deery somehow showed up to clear the ball from the line with Gary O'Neill in close attendance.

Immediately at the other end Derry went close when Pat McEleney let fly from twenty five yards but Gabriel Sava called into action for the first time pushed the ball out for a corner.

With half an hour gone United again threatened as David Cassidy stole in at the back post to shoot towards goal, however, that man Deery was on hand again to clear the danger and prevent a goal.

As the half drew to a conclusion Sava was smartly off his line to deny Pat McEleney with a solid challenge after which the Derry man had to leave the field injured.

Drogheda then won a penalty two minutes before the break after Ryan McBride upended Gary O'Neill who picked himself up and took the resulting kick which he hit meekly and straight at keeper Gerard Doherty.

The second half was three minutes old and Derry found themselves down to ten men when McBride was show a straight red card for another bad challenge on O'Neill who was stretchered off with a nasty looking injury.

Gavin Brennan's spectacular effort from 35 yards saw Doherty tip the ball over while at the other end Michael Rafter fired over from a good position.

Derry then hit the front on 64 minutes thanks to a Brian Gannon error that allowed Rafter stroke the ball home from close range.

Doherty denied Gavin Brennan an immediate equaliser with a fine stop but the visitors' lead was cancelled out within minutes as Brennan set up Derek Prendergast who drove the ball to the net from the right.

As everyone prepared for extra time Drogheda won it in the fourth additional minute when Philip Hand's cross was headed towards the target by Declan O'Brien. Gerard Doherty could only push the ball onto the bar and as it fell to Ryan Brennan he rattled the net for a late winner.

Drogheda United: Sava, Hand, Prendergast, O'Conor, O'Neill (O'Brien 52), G Brennan, Rusk (Hynes 80), Cassidy, Gannon, Daly (R Brennan 74), Byrne.

Derry City: Doherty, Molloy, S McEleney, Higgins, Deery, P McEleney (Griffin 45), Patterson, McBride, Rafter (Curran 69), Madden, McNamee.

Referee: Neil Doyle.