REPORT: SSE AIRTRICITY MEN’S FIRST DIVISION
MATCHDAY 25: Treaty United 1-1 Kerry FC
Kerry FC were back on the road to finish off the Bank Holiday weekend, this time it was a Munster Derby as they took on Treaty United in the Markets Field for the final time this season.
Kerry came into the game in high spirits after the dismantling of Athlone Town on Friday night. The 4-0 win for the Kingdom in Tralee was their first league win since June 20th and was well needed as they hoped to build on that Monday evening.
For Treaty United, they are three games without a win, a controversial loss in Bray on Friday night was fuelled by Steven Healy’s red card after twenty-five minutes, which was later rescinded. Bray would go on to win the game in the ninety-fifth minute, meaning Treaty would be coming out against Kerry FC with an extra fire in their bellies.
It was an unchanged eleven for Kerry FC on the evening, why change a winning method?
First Half
The first opportunity of the game came to Treaty United inside the opening two minutes. A long ball over the top seemed to stop dead thanks to a divot on the pitch. A lobbed effort then followed, but it went just wide to the relief of the travelling Kerry FC support.
The opening twenty minutes or so were very scrappy, very few chances for either side made the opening half an hour a very tough watch. Treaty United looked possibly the more threatening in attack, but if they were, there wasn’t much in it.
The next opportunity for Treaty United came just after the half-hour mark, a floating ball into the box from Robbie Lynch found Mark Byrne, but the header went just over the crossbar. It felt like Treaty United were getting closer, but Kerry FC were doing well to keep the home side at bay.
Daniel Okwute had one of Kerry FC’s brightest chances of the first half with six minutes to play. He seemed to have won the race for the ball against the Treaty defender and was seemingly taken down outside the area in a last-man challenge, but play was waved on by referee John Walsh.
The first half came to an end shortly after, with the game and the three points still all up for grabs.
Second Half
Kerry FC opened the second half with a big chance, and probably their biggest opportunity of the game. A corner whipped in by Sean O’Connell on the right side goes over everybody in the box and reached Ronan Teahan, but unfortunately, his diving header effort went wide.
Just before the hour point in the game, Mark Byrne had a great opportunity to put the hosts up, but a fantastic save from Matthew Connor denied them that opportunity. A slight blunder from Kerry at the back opened the opportunity, but luckily, Connor was on hand to keep the game level pegging.
Unfortunately, the pressure was building and resulted in Treaty United finally breaking that deadlock in the sixty-fifth minute. A cross from the right wing came into the area and was met by the head of Patrick Ferry. The header may not have had the power, but it definitely had the accuracy to fly past Matthew Connor and into the back of the Kerry FC net.
The goal brought Kerry FC back into the game and brought a new lease of life to the Kingdom, creating chances to get back into the fixture. Colin Healy ran the bench with attacking players in an attempt to salvage something from a losing position. With fifteen minutes to play, a long shot from Oran Crowe reached Kennedy Amechi inside the area, but he unfortunately could not get it under control, and the chance went begging.
Five minutes later, Kerry FC were on the attack again. A great innovative delivery from Oran Crowe found Ewan Lee, but his effort did not have enough of a connection on it and went just over the crossbar. Kerry were getting closer to a deserved equaliser and four minutes later, they found it.
A long throw-in by Sam Aladesanusi was scrambled and not dealt with in the area by the Treaty United defence. Ewan Lee got there to get it over the line and bring the game back level, with both sides now hoping they could come away with all three points.
Although both sides had their fair share of chances, the fairest result prevailed, and it ended in a one-all draw in the Munster Derby. Kerry FC did very well to fight back into the game and can now take that into Friday night’s game against Finn Harps in Mounthawk Park, Tralee.
TREATY UNITED TEAM: 1. Corey Chambers, 2. Richkov Boevi, 3. Benjamin Lynch, 5. Lee Devitt, 6. Steven Healy, 7. Lee Lynch (C), 9. Patrick Ferry (GOAL ‘’65), 11. Mark Byrne, 20. Evan O’Connor, 27. Robbie Lynch, 30. Mark Murphy.
SUBS: 32. Matthew Boylan, 8. Colin Conroy, 12. Nikodem Kozlowski, 16. Joseph Hanson, 17. Dean Owens, 18. Connor Wilson, 25. Mark Walsh, 29. Darren Nwankwo, 99. Trpimir Vrljicak.
KERRY FC TEAM: 16. Matthew Connor, 3. Sean O’Connell, 4. Oran Crowe, 5. Christopher Mcqueen, 6. Carl Mujaguzi, 8. Ronan Teahan (C), 11. Daniel Okwute, 14. Robert Cleary, 15. Kevin Williams, 18. Samuel Aladesanusi, 29. Ewan Lee (‘84).
SUBS: 40. Darragh Foley, 7. Sean McGrath, 10. Joseph Adams, 12. Kennedy Amechi, 17. Cian Brosnan, 20. Abel Alabi, 23 Finn Barrett, 46. Luke Doolan, 36. Ryan Perez.
