Friday 25 October
SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division Play-Off Semi-Final 1st Leg
Treaty United v Cobh Ramblers, Markets Field, 7:45
Play-off football returns to the Markets Field for the first time since 2022 this Friday night as Treaty United prepare to take on Cobh Ramblers.
Fresh off confirming their place in the playoffs with a convincing 2-0 victory away to Wexford last Friday, the Limerick men head into Friday’s game full of confidence.
After a season of mixed results, Treaty will be hoping they are finding form at the perfect time after finishing their league campaign with back-to-back wins. Cobh, on the other hand, ended their regular season with consecutive defeats.
While Cobh finished 21 points ahead of Treaty in the final league table, Treaty United manager Tommy Barrett remains focused on his team’s structure and discipline heading into the tie.
Speaking to Treaty TV after the win in Wexford, Barrett said his side will approach the playoffs “like any other game.”
“We’ll have to be well organised and hard to beat first and foremost,” he said. Home advantage in the first leg could prove vital, with the Treaty fans acting as the 12th man all season. “Markets Field will be rocking on Friday night,” he added.
This will be the fifth time the two sides meet this year, with the Cork club leading the head-to-head three wins to one.
However, aside from the 3-0 loss Treaty suffered in Cobh in September, each of the previous matches were a tight affair settled by a single goal.
On Monday evening, Cobh fans were rocked by the news that manager Michael McDermott had left the club. Richie Holland was announced as his replacement to lead them out for the playoffs.
Club Statement
Cobh Ramblers Football Club can confirm that Michael McDermott is no longer First Team Manager.
We would like to thank Mick for his service to the club this season and wish him well in the future.Richie Holland will take charge of the team on an interim basis… pic.twitter.com/lHWPLCwB84
— Cobh Ramblers FC (@CobhRamblersFC) October 20, 2025
McDermott led Cobh to an impressive second place finish, so to see him leave at the beginning of the most important week of their season has certainly raised a few eyebrows.
The return leg will take place at St Colmans Park, Cobh, on Tuesday 28 October, with Treaty hoping to take an advantage with them to the south coast.
The winner of this two-legged tie will meet either Bray Wanderers or University College Dublin in the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division play-off final.
The victors of that game will then go on to face the club that finishes 9th in the Premier Division. A place in the League of Ireland’s top tier is up for grabs.
Waterford are currently the club in 9th place with two games left to play but are only behind Sligo Rovers and Galway United on goal difference, with the latter also having a game in hand.