REPORT: CLUB ORANGE MENS’S FAI CUP SECOND ROUND
Kerry FC 2-2 Shelbourne FC
Kerry FC win 6-5 on Penalties
The summer sun has well and truly arrived in the Kingdom over the past fortnight, but the focus now switches to the magic of the FAI Cup as Kerry FC prepare for a huge night under the lights at Mounthawk Park. For the first time in the club’s history, Shelbourne make the trip to Tralee for a highly anticipated clash between the Kingdom and Premier Division opposition.
Kerry come into the tie with plenty of confidence after an impressive spell of league form, collecting three wins and a draw from their last five outings. Despite fighting back from a goal behind to take the lead late on against Wexford FC last Friday, Colin Healy’s side were forced to settle for a point after a late equaliser, a result that denied them the chance to enter the Cup break sitting inside the playoff positions.
Standing in their way is a Shelbourne side full of quality and experience, with the Dublin club aiming to continue their push towards another European campaign. John Russell takes charge of the visitors for the first time in Tralee, returning to the ground where his Sligo Rovers side suffered a remarkable FAI Cup collapse last season after surrendering a three-goal advantage.
The history books show the size of the challenge ahead, but Kerry FC know better than most that the Cup can create unforgettable moments. From pushing Drogheda United close in 2023, to taking Bohemians all the way to penalties and completing the famous comeback against Sligo Rovers last year, the Kingdom have already shown they can rise to the occasion.
It was a sell-out crowd at Mounthawk Park as Kerry look to create another memorable Cup night and produce a major upset against one of the country’s top sides. As always in the FAI Cup, anything can happen.
FIRST HALF
Kerry FC made a confident start against the Premier Division visitors, with the home support creating a superb atmosphere from kick-off at Mounthawk Park. The first opportunity of the evening arrived in the third minute when Cian Bargary tested Finn Moylan, but the Shelbourne goalkeeper was equal to the effort and gathered comfortably.
The opening exchanges were closely contested, with both teams enjoying similar spells of possession but struggling to create clear-cut opportunities. In the twentieth minute, the game remained finely balanced, reflecting the disciplined approach of both sides in a competitive cup encounter.
Shelbourne picked up the first booking of the contest in the twenty-fifth minute when James Norris was shown a yellow card after fouling Daniel Okwute in a dangerous area. Cian Brosnan stepped up to take the resulting free kick, but his effort failed to trouble Moylan.
Kerry continued to grow into the game and almost found the breakthrough in the thirtieth minute. Brosnan found space inside the area but saw his shot drift narrowly wide of the right-hand post.
At the opposite end, the hosts showed their defensive resilience two minutes later. Rodrigo Freitas looked set to score from inside the penalty area before captain Niall Brookwell produced a superb block to deny the Shelbourne attacker.
The visitors collected another yellow card in the thirty-seventh minute when Milan Mbeng entered the referee’s notebook. Kerry’s Ewan Lee was cautioned in the forty-third minute before Shelbourne’s Jack Henry-Francis also received a booking just before the interval.
Despite several promising moments at either end, neither goalkeeper was seriously overworked, and the sides went into the dressing rooms level after a disciplined and hard-fought opening 45 minutes.
SECOND HALF
Shelbourne’s hopes suffered a major setback almost immediately after the restart. Odhran Casey was booked in the forty-sixth minute before receiving a second yellow card and subsequent red card in the fifty-second minute, reducing the Premier Division side to ten men.
Kerry nearly made their numerical advantage count straight away. Following the resulting set-piece, Cian Murphy rose inside the six-yard box and struck the post, with Shelbourne surviving a major scare.
Sean McGrath was introduced in the fifty-seventh minute in place of Cian Brosnan as Kerry looked to increase the pressure. Moments later, Sean O’Connell delivered an inviting free kick that Brookwell met, but the captain could not guide his effort on target.
Despite being down to ten men, it was Shelbourne who broke the deadlock in the sixtieth minute when Daniel Kelly found the back of the net to put the visitors ahead.
Kerry responded positively. Murphy was shown a yellow card in the sixty-second minute before Ewan Lee came close two minutes later with an ambitious strike from outside the area that curled just over the crossbar.
Matthew Britton replaced Samuel Aladesanusi in the seventieth minute and immediately made an impact, seeing a deflected effort turned behind for a corner. Kerry continued to press from the resulting set-pieces, although another dangerous delivery drifted beyond everyone and over the crossbar.
The home side’s persistence was finally rewarded extraordinarily in the seventy-seventh minute. A cross into the Shelbourne penalty area was spilt by Moylan, and the attempted clearance struck Sean O’Connell before looping into the net to bring Kerry level and spark jubilant celebrations around Mounthawk Park.
Remarkably, Kerry completed the turnaround just a minute later. Straight from the restart, Shelbourne played the ball back to Moylan, whose attempted clearance was charged down brilliantly by Cian Murphy. The striker reacted quickest to the loose ball before calmly finishing into the empty net to hand the Kingdom a stunning 2-1 advantage.
Luke Palmer replaced Cian Bargary in the eighty-first minute as Kerry looked to see out the contest. The home side defended magnificently throughout the closing stages, throwing bodies on the line to protect their lead.
However, with six minutes of added time signalled, Shelbourne found a dramatic equaliser. In the ninety-fourth minute, Jack Henry-Francis’ deflected strike made it 2-2 and forced the tie into extra time.
Neither side could find a decisive breakthrough during the additional 30 minutes. Vince Borden headed a glorious opportunity wide in the one hundred and fourth minute before Harry Halwax produced two magnificent saves four minutes later to keep Kerry level. Luke Palmer was then denied by Moylan in the one hundred and tenth minute, while Colin Healy replaced Daniel Okwute shortly afterwards. James Roche received a late yellow card, but the contest remained deadlocked after 120 enthralling minutes.
The tie was ultimately decided by penalties. After Kerry missed their opening two spot-kicks, Sean McGrath, Sean O’Connell, Colin Healy, Ewan Lee, Niall Brookwell and Vince Borden all converted under immense pressure. At the other end, Halwax delivered a heroic performance, producing three crucial saves, including the decisive stop to deny Sean Gannon, as Kerry secured a remarkable 6-5 shootout victory and a famous place in the next round of the Club Orange Men’s FAI Cup.
Yet another special cup night in Tralee as Kerry FC are now eight games unbeaten at home and look to continue that going into next week’s fixture against Finn Harps in Mounthawk Park.
Kerry FC Team: Harry Halwax; Sean O’Connell (GOAL ‘77), Cian Murphy (GOAL ‘78), Daniel Okwute, Jonas Häkkinen, Cian Brosnan, Samuel Aladesanusi, Vince Borden, Niall Brookwell (C), Ewan Lee, Cian Bargary.
Subs Used: Sean McGrath, Luke Palmer, Matthew Britton, Colin Healy
Shelbourne FC Team: Finn Moylan; Kameron Ledwidge (C), Milan Mbeng, Odhran Casey (RED CARD ‘52), James Norris, Alistair Coote, Evan Caffrey, Jack Henry-Francis (GOAL ‘94), Daniel Kelly (GOAL ‘60), Rodrigo Freitas, William Jarvis.
Subs Used: Sean Gannon, Samuel Bone, Sean Moore, Patrick Barrett, Daniel Ring, James Roche.