A SPIRITED second half display salvaged a point for Cobh Ramblers as they battled back from two goals down against Waterford United at the Regional Sports Centre to give themselves a four points cushion in second place in the First Division table.

Waterford squandered a two goal lead as they stretched their run without a win to seven games.

Ritchie Hale worked off his frustration at being substituted against St James's Gate on Friday night by scoring both Waterford's goals. He opened the scoring after just four minutes when shooting home the rebound alter Michael Devine could only parry a Darren Kavanagh header from Kevin Kelly's free kick.

Hale made it 2-0 ten minutes before the break with an opportunistic strike as he was perfectly positioned to score at the far post from Paul Scully's cross.

Cobh got back into the game within eight minutes of the restart with a fine solo goal from Paul Coughlan, who dribbled through a crowded goal mouth to slip the ball past Scott Garlich. John Ryan then equalised on 69 minutes after Michael O'Keeffe had capitalised on a mistake by Kelly to cross.

Central defender Brendan Rea headed his fifth goal in nine games to give Kilkenny City a late, surprising winner and dent the promotion hopes of Finn Harps at Buckley Park on Saturday night.

Twenty three year old Waterford based Rea rose to head home a Paul Cashin corner ten minutes from time. An earlier Cashin corner, just before half time, provided Paddy Power with the chance to equalise an early goal from the division's top scorer, Jonathan Speake.