REPORT: SSE AIRTRICITY MEN’S FIRST DIVISION
MATCHDAY 10: Kerry FC 1-1 UCD AFC
Kerry FC returned to Mounthawk Park on Friday night following a difficult Bank Holiday Monday defeat away to Cork City, as they hosted UCD AFC.
The home side entered the contest on the back of three consecutive losses, their most challenging spell of the season to date. Despite that run, Kerry has shown encouraging signs, taking the lead in seven of their opening nine matches. However, they have been unable to hold on in six of those games, a statistic that underlines both their progress and the fine margins that have prevented a sustained run of results.
Now in their fourth season, the Kingdom appear close to converting improved performances into consistency, with only small details separating them from a stronger sequence of form.
UCD arrived in Kerry unbeaten in three matches. The sides last met on the opening night of the season, when a six-minute turnaround proved decisive in UCD’s favour as they claimed all three points.
Speaking ahead of the game, Kerry FC manager Colin Healy called for unity as his side looked to halt their slide. He stressed that “everyone needs to stick together” and expressed hope that a change in fortunes would begin on Friday night.
FIRST HALF
The game kicked off with both sides struggling to find any sort of a breakthrough despite several promising moments in the opening ten minutes.
In the eleventh minute, the hosts created the first half chance of the evening. Sean O’Connell advanced confidently from defence before playing a precise pass out to the right wing for Cian Bargary. Bargary delivered a dangerous cross/shot that forced Dara Kavanagh into action, with the UCD goalkeeper pushing the effort away to safety.
UCD responded in the fifteenth minute when a short corner routine saw the ball rolled along the ground to Eanna Clancy. His deflected effort rose over the crossbar, and the resulting corner came to nothing as Kerry cleared their lines. The match remained evenly balanced, with both sides probing without carving out clear-cut opportunities.
In the twentieth minute, Kerry produced a flowing move down the right. The ball was worked into space for Cian Bargary, whose inviting cross flashed across the penalty area. Sean McGrath attempted to meet it but was unable to make contact, allowing UCD to escape the danger. The visitors threatened again in the twenty-seventh minute when Eanna Clancy struck a well-hit effort from distance, but the shot drifted wide of the right-hand post.
Kerry continued to find joy down the right flank, and in the thirty-fourth minute, another excellent delivery from Cian Bargary picked out Ryan Kelliher inside the box. Kelliher rose to meet it but guided his header over the crossbar, leaving the score unchanged.
As the half drew toward its conclusion, Finn Barrett was shown a yellow card in the forty-third minute following a late challenge, adding a note of tension before the interval.
Despite the competitive nature of the contest, neither side could find the decisive moment, and the teams went in at the break with the score still level.
SECOND HALF
The second half began with UCD showing greater attacking intent. In the forty-seventh minute, debutant Harvey Mangan was called into action for the first time, reacting sharply to smother Colin Bolton’s shot from inside the area. Four minutes later, Killian Cailloce had the ball in the net, but the assistant referee’s flag ruled the effort out for offside. UCD continued to press, and in the fifty-third minute, Cailloce headed over from close range.
Kerry were then rescued by their goalkeeper in the fifty-fifth minute when Harvey Mangan produced an excellent save to deny Hugh Smith’s half-volley. However, the pressure told in the fifty-sixth minute. A short corner was played to Michael McCullagh, who delivered a well-timed ball into the area. Hugh Smith rose highest and placed a header into the bottom right corner to give UCD AFC the lead.
UCD nearly doubled their advantage three minutes later when Ciaran Behan broke through, but Harvey Mangan again reacted brilliantly, saving with his feet to keep Kerry within touching distance. Kerry responded in the sixty-first minute when Sean McGrath cut the ball back to Cian Bargary outside the area, though his effort failed to find the target.
Colin Healy turned to his bench in the sixty-second minute, introducing Cian Brosnan and Samuel Aladesanusi in place of Sean McGrath and Finn Barrett. Kerry began to push forward in search of an equaliser, though clear chances remained limited. Cian Murphy received a yellow card in the seventy-third minute, before Michael McCullagh was also cautioned a minute later following a late tackle.
In the seventy-eighth minute, Cian Brosnan delivered a dangerous ball into the penalty area that narrowly evaded the head of Cian Murphy. Moments later, Kerry appealed for a penalty when Sam Aladesanusi was shouldered in the back by Niall Holohan, but the referee waved away the claims. Kerry continued to press, and Matthew Britton was introduced in the eighty-third minute for his debut, replacing Ewan Lee.
The hosts piled on pressure late in the contest. In the eighty-fourth minute, a flurry of Kerry headers inside the area eventually dropped safely into the hands of Dara Kavanagh. Sam Aladesanusi was shown a yellow card in the eighty-ninth minute as the urgency increased, and five minutes of additional time were indicated at the end of the ninety.
Eric Koufie replaced Sean O’Connell in stoppage time as Kerry threw bodies forward.
Their persistence paid off deep into stoppage time, when Matthew Britton equalised on his debut. He found the equaliser after driving forward with the ball from midfield and letting loose, which was deflected into the back of the net to spark celebrations among the home support. Shortly afterwards, Ryan Kelliher was shown a yellow card after a high boot, despite having played an overhead through ball that had sent Eric Koufie clear, with the referee pulling play back for the supposed foul.
Kerry pushed for a winner in the closing moments, but no further chances materialised.
The late intervention from Matthew Britton ensured the spoils were shared, with Kerry FC earning a dramatic point at Mounthawk Park after a determined second-half fightback against UCD AFC.
Kerry FC have another double game week ahead with a Munster Senior Cup semi-final against Cork City in Mayfield on Tuesday before facing Treaty United at home in the league next Friday night.
Kerry FC Team: Harvey Mangan; Finn Barrett, Kilian Cantwell (C), Sean O’Connell, Sean McGrath, Ryan Kelliher, Cian Murphy, Jonas Häkkinen, Ewan Lee, Arran Healy, Cian Bargary.
Subs Used: Cian Brosnan, Samuel Aladesanusi, Matthew Britton (GOAL ‘90), Eric Koufie.
UCD AFC Team: Dara Kavanagh; Luca Cailloce, Eanna Clancy (C), Adam Wells, Michael McCullagh, Ciaran Behan, Hugh Smith (GOAL ‘57), Killian Cailloce, Niall Holohan, Colin Bolton, Luke O’Regan.
Subs Used: Stephen Mohan, Thomas Morley, Charles Akimrintoyo, Michael Raggett, Louis Dignam.