REPORT: SSE AIRTRICITY MEN’S FIRST DIVISION
MATCHDAY 27: Cork City 3-1 Kerry FC
Kerry FC were back on the road for the second time in the past seven days in a three-game match week when they made the trip to Munster FA Turners Cross Stadium on Friday night to take on Cork City in a Munster Derby.
Kerry FC came into this one on a great run, winning four games on the bounce including knocking out Premier Division side Shelbourne FC in the FAI Cup on penalties. To say that the Kingdom were in red hot form going into battle with Cork City would be an understatement.
Kerry also extended their home unbeaten run to ten games with a 3-0 win over Cobh Ramblers on the Bank Holiday Monday. A win away against Bray Wanderers last Friday in the Carlisle Grounds, a place they had never as much as picked up a point before was the perfect test to try and do the same in the Cross.
As for Cork City, they came into the game twenty points clear at the summit of the First Division and although they previously lost three games in a row against Longford Town, Shamrock Rovers and UCD AFC, they bounced back well over the Bank Holiday weekend with wins over Finn Harps and Athlone Town.
The last time the two faced off was in a famous first ever 1-0 win for Kerry FC against the Leesiders in Mounthawk Park at the start of May. Kerry FC brought well over three hundred supporters to the reverse fixture back in April and it was reported even more would make the journey on Friday night for what promised to be an exhilarating encounter.
FIRST HALF
Kerry FC started brightly in Cork and almost opened the scoring in the fifth minute. Cian Bargary played Cian Murphy through on goal, leaving him one-on-one with Conor Brann, but the effort did not have enough power to trouble the Cork goalkeeper, who collected comfortably.
Cork City responded with pressure of their own, with two close calls in the twelfth minute leading to corners, although Kerry FC dealt with both situations.
Kerry continued to threaten, and in the eighteenth minute Sam Aladesanusi delivered an inviting ball from the right towards Niall Brookwell. His header was on target but lacked the necessary power to test Brann.
Cork’s Cillian Murphy was booked in the twentieth minute, before Kerry came close again two minutes later. A glancing header from Cian Murphy, following an excellent delivery from Cian Bargary on the right, was pushed away well by Brann.
Daniel Okwute was shown a yellow card in the twenty-third minute as the game continued at an even pace.
Then, in the thirty-second minute, Kerry FC produced a moment of real quality to take the lead. Matt Connor sent a long ball forward, with Cian Bargary winning the aerial duel before taking a touch and allowing the ball to bounce. From around twenty-five yards, Bargary unleashed a superb strike that flew into the top-left corner, giving Brann no chance.
Cork looked for an immediate response, but Kerry’s defence held firm. In the forty-second minute, Matt Connor made a crucial double save, first denying Ruairi Keating before keeping out Cillian Murphy’s follow-up effort.
Four minutes of added time were indicated at the end of the first half, but Kerry maintained their advantage to reach the interval 1-0 ahead.
SECOND HALF
Cork City came out looking for an equaliser, with Conor Drinan dragging a shot wide of the right-hand post in the forty-eighth minute.
The home side thought they had levelled in the fifty-second minute when the ball found the back of the Kerry net, but the effort was ruled out for offside.
Cork continued to apply pressure, with Hans Mpongo putting an effort over the crossbar from close range in the fifty-fifth minute. Ruairi Keating was then added to the book in the fifty-eighth minute.
Kerry created another opportunity in the fifty-ninth minute when Sean O’Connell delivered a free kick into the area. Niall Brookwell got a head to the ball before it fell to Vince Borden, whose effort from a tight angle was deflected out for a corner. The resulting set piece came to nothing.
Cian Murphy was booked in the sixtieth minute, before Cian Brosnan replaced Daniel Okwute five minutes later.
Kerry almost doubled their advantage in the sixty-sixth minute when Cian Bargary found space inside the area and aimed for the near post, but Brann got down well to make the save.
Cork continued to threaten at the other end, with Mpongo firing over from a difficult angle in the sixty-seventh minute before being played through moments later and somehow putting the ball wide.
Simon Lüchinger replaced captain Sean McGrath in the seventieth minute, with Matt Connor again called upon in the seventy-fourth minute to produce an excellent save from Darragh Crowley’s header.
Cork City finally found an equaliser in the seventy-sixth minute when Conor Drinan converted to make it 1-1.
Simon Lüchinger was booked in the eightieth minute, before Luke Palmer replaced Cian Bargary in the eighty-first minute.
Kerry continued to look for a winner, and Cian Murphy tested Brann from a long distance in the eighty-ninth minute with a powerful effort on target that the Cork goalkeeper claimed.
However, the game turned dramatically in stoppage time. Sean Maguire put Cork City ahead in the ninetieth minute before Darragh Crowley added a third goal two minutes later.
Four minutes of added time were indicated, but Kerry could not find a response as Cork City secured the points.
The final scoreline did not reflect the competitiveness of the game, with Kerry FC having led for more than 75 minutes and producing a performance that deserved more than the eventual result.
Next Saturday, Kerry FC are on the road once again, this time to Sligo, taking a break from league action for the Third Round of the Club Orange Men’s FAI Cup against Premier Division side Sligo Rovers in The Showgrounds.
Cork City Team: Conor Brann; Fiacre Kelleher, Charlie Lyons, Greg Bolger, Ruairi Keating, Hans Kamta Mpongo, Conor Drinan (GOAL ‘77), Darragh Crowley (GOAL ‘92), Josh Fitzpatrick, Rory Feely, Cillian Murphy.
Subs: Sean Maguire (GOAL ‘90), Harry Nevin, Niall O’Keefe.
Kerry FC Team: Matthew Connor; Sean O’Connell, Sean McGrath (C), Cian Murphy, Daniel Okwute, Jonas Häkkinen, Samuel Aladesanusi, Vince Borden, Niall Brookwell, Ewan Lee, Cian Bargary (GOAL ‘33).
Subs Used: Simon Lüchinger, Cian Brosnan, Luke Palmer.