Lee Devitt was highly influential as Cobh collapsed at home
Cobh Ramblers 0 Treaty United 3
While Treaty knew travelling to St Colman’s Park that they would not be playing in the playoffs, Cobh Ramblers will now join them among those excluded from the postseason.
A revitalised, younger and more intense United side went away to Cobh in poor form but a buoyant performance secured all three points for the Limerick men.
The home side started well, crafting a huge chance inside the first five minutes as Matt McKevitt had a shot saved well by Michael Dike in the Treaty net. The striker latched on to a nice reverse ball by David Eguaibor, but Dike rushed out to smother his attempt. Continuing his side’s positive start, Eguaibor tried a left-footed shot from the right wing a minute later, but it was cleared away.
The Limerick men settled for the next five minutes and fashioned a chance of their own, but Lee Devitt could only hit his shot straight at the Cobh keeper Darragh Burke.
Regix Madika looked dangerous down the host’s left side, coming close to an assist on a few occasions throughout the opening 20 minutes with crosses towards McKevitt.
Treaty hit the front after 23 minutes as Lee Devitt beautifully chipped Burke in the home side’s goal.
The young keeper had come off his line to deal with a through ball into the middle towards David Tarmey, but Devitt killed the ball with his touch and deftly lifted it over everyone from the edge of the area for a lovely finish.
The youthful Treaty side would look to avoid the mistakes of last week against Athlone, but the Rams came so close to striking straight back four minutes later. A cross into the box was not dealt with and McKevitt again threatened to curl it into the bottom right corner, but Dike kept him out again with a great stretching save.
The 39th minute saw McKevitt almost reply with a stunning curler on the edge of the area, the striker receiving the ball from a throw-in and turning towards goal. The striker took a couple of touches – but his effort didn’t drop in time and fortunately for Dike, went over.
That was the last chance of the first period, which meant Treaty would come into the restart 1-0 up.
Only a minute into the second period, Treaty doubled their lead. Leon Kirrane’s shot spilled into the box after a Burke save, and Nikodem Kozlowski took it in with a spin, slotting it beyond Darragh Burke. It was the 19-year-old’s first senior goal for the club, on his 11th appearance.
The injury crisis at Markets Field continues to get worse, this time as Leon Kirrane went down in the 55th minute.
An audacious attempt from Lee Devitt followed as he caught Burke off his line, but the lofted attempt dropped on top of the net – inches from going in.
With just over 10 minutes to go, Cobh played a decent passing move into the path of Jack Larkin just to the left of the Treaty goal but he was denied by a block from Evan O’Connor. The resulting corner bounced around but only into the hands of Dike.
Treaty sealed the result just after the 80th minute, at the hands of Lee Devitt.
He was playing as a second striker in the latter half and found the net with a lovely left-footed rolling finish into the bottom right corner.
It had been a super game from the man usually in the middle of United’s midfield, and a minute after his second he was in a similar position for an attempt at a hat-trick. However, this time his shot was higher and palmed away by Darragh Burke.
The visitors held out, taking home three points after three goals, with an excellent response to Friday’s loss against Athlone.
While neither side will make the playoffs, it’s a positive sign for Treaty heading into 2025 – with their young players putting in a professional display.
Player of the Match: Lee Devitt (Treaty United)
Treaty United: Michael Dike, Christopher Horgan, Evan O’Connor, Richkov Boevi, Oisin O’Reilly, Nikodem Kozlowski (Tripimir Vriljicak, 55’), Lee Lynch, Lee Devitt (Adam O’Halloran, 88’), Alec Byrne, Leon Kirrane (Steven Healy, 55’), David Tarmey (Yoyo Mahdy, 68’)
Cobh Ramblers: Darragh Burke, Michael McCarthy (Nolan Evers, 75’), Dean Larkin, Brendeán Frahill, Luka Le Bervet, David Eguaibor (David Bosnjak, 66’), Jason Abbott, James O’Leary, Regix Madika, James Larkin, Matt McKevitt