REPORT: SSE AIRTRICITY MEN’S FIRST DIVISION
MATCHDAY 7: Bray Wanderers 2-1 Kerry FC
Kerry FC were on the road Friday night for the third time in four weeks as they made the trip to Wicklow to take on Bray Wanderers in the Carlisle Grounds.
Since entering the league in 2023, Kerry FC had not been able to take a single point from a trip to The Garden County but hoped that Friday night would see them get over the line in some capacity. Kerry FC are now on a four-game unbeaten run with three back-to-back draws followed by last week’s win in Mounthawk Park against Finn Harps, showing that the side has been very hard to beat in the opening stages of the season.
For Bray Wanderers, it’s just the one defeat for them, which came courtesy of a Sean Maguire for Cork City on the twenty-seventh of February. The Wanderers sit in third position in the league table, ahead of Athlone Town by a single point and five behind Cork City in first. All of their games so far have been tight contests, and this looked to be much of the same going into the fixture.
FIRST HALF
Kerry FC got their clash with Bray Wanderers underway at the Carlisle Grounds, and they made a dream start in the first minute. A long throw-in from the right by Cian Bargary caused immediate problems for the Bray defence, with the ball flicked on at the near post into a dangerous area. Niall Brookwell reacted quickest, collecting the loose ball and calmly finishing into the far bottom corner to give the visitors an early 1-0 advantage.
Bray looked to respond quickly and won a corner in the ninth minute, but their effort was headed wide of the far post. Kerry remained dangerous on the counter, though, and continued to threaten the Bray backline. In the eleventh minute, Kieran Cooney was shown a yellow card following a late challenge, setting the tone for a competitive battle.
Kerry came close to doubling their lead in the fourteenth minute when Cian Murphy showed great determination to chase a long ball over the top. He managed to get his shot away from a very tight angle, but his effort crashed off the crossbar, denying the visitors a second goal.
Bray were fortunate to still be within a goal, and they relied on their goalkeeper James Corcoran in the eighteenth minute. He produced a superb save to deny Kieran Cooney, who had found space and struck a goal-bound header. Kerry continued to create openings, and in the twenty-third minute, another big chance went begging. Cian Murphy delivered a dangerous ball across the six-yard box, but it evaded everyone in the area and rolled harmlessly out of reach.
As the half progressed, Bray began to settle into the game, though clear-cut chances remained limited. Ifunanyachi Achara was booked in the thirty-ninth minute as frustrations started to show. Kerry maintained their narrow lead heading into the closing stages of the half, with Eric Koufie firing an effort wide of the right-hand post in the forty-fifth minute.
Two minutes of added time were signalled at the end of the first half, and there was still time for another booking, this time for Cian Murphy, following a late challenge. Despite Bray’s attempts to draw level, Kerry held firm, and Brookwell’s early strike ensured they went into the break with a 1-0 lead.
SECOND HALF
Bray Wanderers came out with renewed intent after the interval and almost found an equaliser in the fifty-first minute. A corner was met at the near post, but the resulting effort drifted just wide of Harry Halwax’s left-hand post.
Kerry made their first change in the fifty-third minute, with Sean O’Connell replacing the already-booked Kieran Cooney. However, Bray’s pressure soon paid off. In the fifty-eighth minute, they drew level through Ben McCormack. A well-delivered chip cross into the area found McCormack at the back post, and he rose to head the ball home despite the best efforts of Harry Halwax, making it 1-1.
The momentum had shifted, but Kerry continued to battle. In the sixty-eighth minute, Ryan Kelliher and Brandon Bermingham were introduced in place of Eric Koufie and Sean McGrath. It marked a significant moment for Kelliher, who was making his return after a long absence due to an ACL injury.
Bray pushed for a second goal and came close in the seventy-first minute with a double chance. The ball was flashed dangerously across the box twice in quick succession, but no Bray player was able to apply the finishing touch.
Kerry responded with an opportunity of their own in the seventy-fourth minute, when Cian Murphy again found space at a tight angle, only to see his effort saved and turned behind for a corner, which Bray subsequently cleared.
Tensions rose as the clock ticked down, with Cian Bargary receiving a yellow card in the seventy-third minute and Niall Brookwell following him into the referee’s book in the eighty-first minute. Both sides continued to search for a winner, and Bray came close in the eighty-third minute when Ryan Kelly struck from outside the box, forcing a superb save from Harry Halwax.
Five minutes of added time were indicated at the end of the ninety, setting up a dramatic finale. In the ninety-second minute, Bray found the breakthrough. Ryan Kelly produced a moment of quality, striking from outside the area to beat Halwax and put the home side 2-1 ahead, leaving Kerry’s defensive efforts undone at the death.
Kerry attempted to respond immediately, making late substitutions in the ninety-third minute as Cian Brosnan and Luke Palmer replaced Cian Bargary and Arran Healy. However, there was no way back for the visitors.
The final whistle confirmed a 2-1 victory for Bray Wanderers, with Kerry left to rue missed opportunities and a late collapse after having led for much of the contest. The Kingdom now must look ahead to next weekend’s bank holiday double week starting with a home fixture against Cobh Ramblers in Mounthawk Park on Friday night.
Bray Wanderers Team: James Corcoran; Alain Kizenga, Jamie Duggan, Richard Ferizaj, Ifunanyachi Achara, Declan Osagie, Aime Azende Nyembo, Cian Doyle, Ben McCormack (GOAL ‘58), Tyreik Sammy, Dean O’Shea.
Subs Used: Conor Knight, Daniel Ring, Ryan Kelly (GOAL ‘90+2), Ethan Cheese.
Kerry FC Team: Harry Halwax; Kilian Cantwell (C), Kieran Cooney, Sean McGrath, Cian Murphy, Jonas Häkkinen, Eric Koufie, Niall Brookwell (GOAL ‘1), Ewan Lee, Arran Healy, Cian Bargary.
Subs Used: Sean O’Connell, Cian Brosnan, Ryan Kelliher, Brandon Bermingham, Luke Palmer.