REPORT: SSE AIRTRICITY MEN’S FIRST DIVISION
MATCHDAY 3: Kerry FC 1-1 Longford Town
Kerry FC were back at home on Friday night in Mounthawk Park for the second time in as many weeks as they welcomed Longford Town to Tralee for Matchday three of the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division.
It has been a rocky start for the Kingdom, who were yet secure a single point from the opening two league games of the 2026 season. An opening night defeat to UCD AFC in Belfield and last week’s 1-0 defeat at home to Athlone Town meant that Friday’s game was all about the three points. Kerry FC strengthened before the window closed midweek with the signings of Matthew Britton and Eric Koufie on loan from Shamrock Rovers to increase squad depth and competition.
Before Friday night’s game, Kerry FC manager Colin Healy said “he knows what this club means to people,” and he emphasised how hard the staff and players will work to get the team as high in the league as possible. There was no better opportunity to start than on Friday night in front of the home support.
FIRST HALF
Kerry FC immediately looked sharp in the opening exchanges. In the sixth minute, the hosts pressed aggressively and forced a couple of early mistakes from the visitors. A clearance from Longford goalkeeper Kian Moore was closed down by Cian Murphy, leading to successive corners for the home side. However, Longford’s defence stood firm and dealt with the danger.
Longford’s first real opportunity arrived in the tenth minute when Daragh Murtagh struck from the edge of the area, but his effort was comfortably gathered by Harry Halwax, who remained assured between the posts throughout the opening period on his first league start for the club.
Kerry’s best chance of the half came in the fifteenth minute. A precise ball from deep by Vince Borden picked out Sean McGrath in space. McGrath did well to glide past Cole Omorehiomwan, before unleashing a powerful shot that crashed off the crossbar, leaving the home supporters agonisingly close to celebrating the breakthrough.
As the half progressed, the tempo dipped. By the thirtieth minute, the game had settled significantly, with both sides enjoying spells of possession but struggling to carve out clear-cut chances. The battles around the pitch intensified, with Kilian Cantwell leading by example and Jonas Häkkinen and Luke Palmer working tirelessly to maintain Kerry’s shape.
There was a moment of ambition in the thirty-seventh minute when Vince Borden attempted an audacious strike from approximately thirty-five yards. His effort swerved through the air and narrowly drifted wide of the left-hand post, drawing appreciative murmurs from the crowd.
In the forty-fifth minute, Kerry fashioned one final opportunity before the interval. Sean O’Connell delivered a dangerous ball across the area that found Luke Palmer, but his touch lacked the necessary precision to trouble Moore in the Longford goal. The sides went in at the break level, with the scoreboard reading 0-0 after a competitive but scoreless opening half.
SECOND HALF
The second period began with renewed energy, and it did not take long for the deadlock to be broken. In the fifty-first minute, Kerry FC netted their first home league goal of the season in spectacular fashion. Niall Brookwell produced a delightful trivela pass forward that released Finn Barrett down the right flank. Barrett’s pinpoint cross into the area found Sean McGrath, who timed his run perfectly and finished emphatically into the roof of the net to send Mounthawk Park into celebration.
Buoyed by the goal, Kerry continued to press. In the fifty-eighth minute, Cian Murphy displayed excellent determination on the left wing to win a corner for the hosts. Although the resulting delivery was dealt with by Moore, Kerry maintained their attacking intent.
A milestone moment followed in the sixtieth minute when Eric Koufie entered the fray in place of Luke Palmer, marking his debut for the club. Just a minute later, in the sixty-first minute, McGrath attempted to double his tally with a curling left-footed effort from outside the area, but Moore was equal to it and gathered the ball safely.
Despite Kerry’s positive spell, Longford responded. In the sixty-fifth minute, the visitors found their equaliser through Alex O’Brien, who capitalised on an opportunity to bring the sides level at 1-1 and shift the momentum of the contest.
Longford sought to build on that equaliser, and in the seventy-first minute, Andy Paraschiv tried his luck from distance. However, his effort sailed well over the crossbar, sparing Kerry any further concern on that occasion.
In the seventy sixth minute, Kerry made their second change as Brandon Bermingham replaced goal scorer Sean McGrath. The home side continued to push for a winner, with Brookwell and Borden attempting to dictate play in the middle of the park.
Further substitutions followed in the eighty-sixth minute when Ciaran Cooney and Cian Brosnan were introduced for Sean O’Connell and Finn Barrett, respectively. It marked Cooney’s first league appearance of the season, adding fresh legs as Kerry searched for a decisive moment in the closing stages.
Four minutes of additional time were indicated in the ninetieth minute, and both sides probed cautiously in the dying moments. However, neither could fashion a clear opportunity to snatch victory.
At the final whistle, the spoils were shared in the Kingdom. While Kerry would have taken great encouragement from their attacking display and McGrath’s well-taken goal, they ultimately had to settle for a point after a hard-fought 1-1 draw. Kerry FC now face two trips on the road back-to-back as they take on Treaty United and Wexford FC in the coming weeks.
Kerry FC Team: Harry Halwax; Finn Barrett, Sean O’Connell, Kilian Cantwell (C), Sean McGrath (GOAL ‘52), Cian Murphy, Jonas Häkkinen, Luke Palmer, Vince Borden, Niall Brookwell, Ewan Lee.
Subs: Eric Koufie on for Luke Palmer ‘60, Brandon Bermingham on for Sean McGrath ‘76, Ciaran Cooney on for Sean O’Connell ‘86, Cian Brosnan on for Finn Barrett ‘86.
Longford Town Team: Kian Moore; Luke O’Brien, Taylor McCarthy, Pharrell Manuel, Stefan Ugbesia, Cole Omorehiomwan, Daragh Murtagh, Alex O’Brien (GOAL ‘66), Conor Errity, Andy Paraschiv, Sean Moore.
Subs: Francis Campbell on for Stefan Ugbesia ‘70, Sultan Adenekan on for Andy Paraschiv ‘83, Dean Williams on for Daragh Murtagh ‘83, Kobichidi Ndebumadu on for Francis Campbell ‘90.