REPORT: SSE AIRTRICITY MEN’S FIRST DIVISION
MATCHDAY 6: Kerry FC 1-0 Finn Harps
Kerry FC returned to Mounthawk Park on Friday night for a hard-fought encounter with Finn Harps, as the Kingdom continued their search for a first league win of the season. Backed by their home support and buoyed by a recent run of improved performances, there was a sense of opportunity around the ground, with Colin Healy’s side looking to turn promising results into a breakthrough victory.
There was also a welcome boost in team news, with Ryan Kelliher and Cian Bargary both named in the squad for the first time this season. Kelliher’s inclusion in particular marked a significant moment, as the forward made his long-awaited return after nearly a year out of action with an ACL injury. Kerry entered the game unbeaten in three, but with draws continuing to stall momentum, the urgency to claim all three points was clear.
Finn Harps, arriving on the back of a similarly stubborn run of results, ensured this would be another tightly contested affair, with little separating the sides across the 90 minutes.
FIRST HALF
The match began with Kerry FC kicking off in Tralee, immediately looking to assert themselves in front of their home support. Early on, in the fourth minute, the hosts were awarded a free kick in a dangerous area. Vince Borden stepped up and struck an effort that took a deflection, but Lorenzo Barbosa comfortably gathered it in the Finn Harps goal.
Finn Harps responded in the sixth minute when Aaron McLaughlin found space to meet a delivery with a free header, but his attempt drifted well wide of the target. The opening exchanges were competitive, with both sides probing but struggling to create clear-cut opportunities.
In the eleventh minute, Kerry FC’s Cian Murphy was shown a yellow card, setting the tone for a physical contest. Seven minutes later, Finn Harps’ Alex-Mathis Tiego also entered the referee’s book after committing a foul.
A key moment arrived in the twenty-second minute when Harry Halwax produced a fantastic save to deny Alex-Mathis Tiego’s long-range strike, pushing the ball away to keep the game level. That save proved crucial, as Kerry FC took the lead just two minutes later.
In the twenty-fourth minute, Eric Koufie made an excellent run down the left flank before delivering a precise cross into the box. Cian Murphy reacted quickest, getting ahead of his marker to guide the ball home and score his first goal at Mounthawk Park, putting Kerry FC 1-0 ahead.
Buoyed by the goal, Kerry FC continued to press. In the thirty-fifth minute, Murphy attempted another effort from outside the box, but it went well wide. Two minutes later, he saw a shot blocked amid loud appeals for handball, though the referee waved play on.
Finn Harps came agonisingly close to equalising in the thirty-ninth minute when Nathan Lumingo struck the post with what appeared to be an open net opportunity, a let-off for the home side. Kerry FC looked to respond before the break, with a promising attacking move in the forty-third minute ultimately dealt with by the visitors’ defence.
As halftime approached, Kilian Cantwell received a yellow card in the forty-fifth minute, and moments later Gavin McAteer attempted an audacious trivela effort that sailed over the crossbar. Kerry FC went into the break holding a narrow but deserved 1-0 advantage, thanks to Murphy’s decisive goal.
SECOND HALF
Kerry FC began the second half with intent, as Eric Koufie tried his luck with a curling effort in the forty-fifth minute, but his shot rose over the bar. Finn Harps responded in the forty-ninth minute when Nathan Lumingo saw a deflected effort loop just wide, hinting at the pressure they would apply in the second period.
In the fifty-first minute, Joel Bradley-Walsh delivered a free kick that narrowly missed Harry Halwax’s right-hand post. Kerry FC then had a strong opportunity of their own in the fifty-fifth minute. Niall Brookwell flicked on a corner from Finn Barrett into the path of Vince Borden, whose strike went just wide, a significant chance to double the lead.
The game became increasingly tense as Finn Harps pushed for an equaliser. In the sixty-eighth minute, a dangerous pass flashed across the Kerry FC six-yard box before being deflected out for a corner, which the hosts managed to clear.
A notable moment followed in the sixty-ninth minute when Cian Bargary was introduced for Finn Barrett, making his debut for Kerry FC. Further changes saw Luke Palmer replace Eric Koufie in the seventy-sixth minute, as the home side looked to maintain energy.
Finn Harps continued to threaten, with Joel Bradley-Walsh firing a snapshot wide in the seventy-first minute. As the match entered its final stages, Kerry FC were forced into a resolute defensive effort.
In the eighty-fifth minute, Harry Halwax made another outstanding save, this time denying Conor Tourish to preserve Kerry FC’s lead. The visitors came even closer in the eighty-ninth minute when Joel Bradley-Walsh struck the crossbar from a free kick. The rebound fell to Josh Cullen, whose follow-up effort forced yet another excellent save from birthday boy Halwax.
Kerry FC made a late substitution in the ninetieth minute, with Arran Healy replacing Sean McGrath. However, drama followed immediately as Vince Borden received his second yellow card of the match and was sent off, leaving the hosts to see out the closing moments with ten men.
Despite the late pressure and numerical disadvantage, Kerry FC held firm through a determined defensive display. At the final whistle, they emerged 1-0 winners, with Cian Murphy’s first-half goal proving decisive in a match defined by resilience, key saves, and a strong collective effort.
Kerry FC now look ahead to next Friday night as they have their third away game in four weeks with a trip to the Carlisle Grounds to take on Bray Wanderers.
Kerry FC Team: Harry Halwax; Finn Barrett, Kieran Cooney, Kilian Cantwell (C), Sean McGrath, Cian Murphy (GOAL ‘25), Jonas Häkkinen, Eric Koufie, Vince Borden (RED CARD ‘94), Niall Brookwell, Ewan Lee.
Subs Used: Luke Palmer, Arran Healy, Cian Bargary.
Finn Harps Team: Lorenzo Barbosa; Josh Cullen, Conor Tourish, Oran Brogan, Joel Bradley-Walsh, Temiloluwa Ajibola, Tony McNamee, Gavin McAteer Aaron McLaughlin, Nathan Lumingo, Alex-Mathis Tiego.
Subs Used: Max Johnston, Idir Zerrouck, Adam McDaid, Shaunie Bradley, Odhran McHugh.