DFC MU17 Report

Dundalk's MU17s opened their 2nd phase of the LOI Academy programme with a 2-0 defeat to Cobh Ramblers at Oriel Park on Sunday afternoon.

After a cagey start, Dundalk went close when Noah Boylan's in-swinging free-kick hit the bar. Soon afterwards, Liam Agnew was called upon to make a brave save at the feet of O'Donovan. With the game becoming an end-to-end affair, Feranmi Makinwa went clear through, forcing Nathan Tait into an excellent save, with the keeper recovering well to keep out a powerful follow-up effort from Jamie Grace.

Cobh continued to be dangerous, and Liam Agnew had to be sharp to deny O'Donovan following a well-timed through ball from Jamie Nduwuba. At the other end, Tait got down quickly to deny a low 20-yard shot from Karl Stenson-Browne.

Nduwuba rattled the Dundalk crossbar in the 43rd minute, but in injury time the visitors made the breakthrough when O'Donovan created the space to drill a low, right-footed effort past Agnew.

The second half was just 90 seconds old when Berkley Arrey doubled the visitors' lead with a powerful low drive from a wide angle.

The second half was a hard-fought affair, with both sides engaged in a tough physical battle, Josh Weldon's late shot over the bar being one of the few efforts at goal for either side.

Dundalk: Liam Agnew, Tomiwa Anunlop, Karl Stenson-Browne, Caelan O'Brien, Leon Laban, Noah Boylan, Jamie Grace, Feranmi Makinwa, Adeola Odusanya, Josh Weldon, Jude Duggan. Subs: Joseph Byrne, Nick Negru, Tristan McGowan Doyle, Ricardo Dinu, Artjoms Lubimovs.

Cobh Ramblers: N Tait, J O'Driscoll, B Arrey, H Daly, N O'Sullivan, J O'Connor, S McCarthy, C Delis, J Nduwuba, E O'Donovan, C Amudala. Subs: C Farrell, M Meade, V Wilson, A Moloney, J O'Brien, S Silva Lima Fonseca.