Cobh Ramblers 0 Sunderland 4:ROY KEANE made a triumphant return to Cork last night as his Sunderland side recorded a comfortable win over Cobh Ramblers at Turner's Cross.
The English Premier League side's manager handed a debut to new signing Teemu Tainio, while local favourites Roy O'Donovan and Dave Meyler started on the bench.
Sunderland hit the front inside the opening three minutes, when Kieran Richardson's ball over the top found the unmarked Daryl Murphy wide on the right.
The Waterford man then cut inside, before curling a neat left-footed shot into the far corner of goalkeeper James McCarthy's net from 12 yards out.
Cobh acquitted themselves well in the first-half, however, with Davin O'Neill in particular asking plenty of questions of Sunderland right back Phil Bardsley.
Sunderland eventually stretched their lead in the 52nd minute, and the goal came courtesy of another member of their vast Irish contingent. A mishit Anthony Stokes cross from the left deceived McCarthy, and the ball sailed beyond the hapless goalkeeper and into the net.
Roy Keane may be Cork's most famous sporting export, but the biggest ovation of the evening was saved for another Leesider. Nineteen-year-old Dave Meyler signed for Sunderland last week and the former Cork City midfielder was introduced for his debut on the hour mark, much to the delight of the Turner's Cross crowd.
Cobh had the opportunity to get back in the game in the 66th minute when Sunderland's substitute goalkeeper Darren Ward brought down Max Cream in the box. Kevin Murray stepped up to take the spot-kick, but Ward redeemed himself with a splendid save down to his right.
Stokes added his second of the game in the 78th minute, turning Nathan Luscombe's low cross in at the far post. Former Cork City player O'Donovan rounded off the scoring with two minutes remaining, drilling the ball home emphatically from the edge of the Cobh penalty area.
COBH RAMBLERS: McCarthy (Fennelly 85); Carey (Mulcahy 60), Murray, Guthrie (Long 78), Coleman (J Meade half-time); Kavanagh (Mulconry, half-time) (C Meade, 68), O'Halloran (Barrett, half-time), J Kearney (A Kearney, 45), O'Neill (Lally, half-time); Cummins (Cream, 40), Gaynor (O'Shea, half-time).
SUNDERLAND: Gordon (Ward 60); Bardsley, Nosworthy, Collins, Liddle; Whitehead (Leadbitter 60), Tainio (Luscombe, half-time), Reid (Colback 60), Richardson (Meyler 60); Murphy (O'Donovan half-time), Stokes.
Referee: Alan Kelly (Cork).
ROY KEANE has continued his summer spending spree by completing the signing of Bolton forward El-Hadji Diouf for an undisclosed fee.
The 27-year-old Senegal international has agreed a four-year deal with Sunderland after spending four seasons at the Reebok Stadium.
Diouf becomes Keane's fifth signing of the summer following Teemu Tainio, Nick Colgan, Dave Meyler and Pascal Chimbonda.
