REPORT: SSE AIRTRICITY MEN’S FIRST DIVISION
MATCHDAY 11: Kerry FC 1-1 Treaty United
Kerry FC were back in Mounthawk Park on Friday night as they took on Treaty United in Matchday 11 of the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division. Both sides sat at the bottom of the First Division Table with just one win each, meaning that the Munster Derby had some added meaning on the night.
Kerry FC hoped that last week’s late equaliser against UCD AFC would give them a boost coming into a tough run of fixtures. Longford Town, Athlone Town and Finn Harps all coming up in the next three Fridays, including a May Bank Holiday Monday game against Cork City, meant that there was no time to waste in the hunt for more points to climb up the table.
Treaty United’s game last week against Cork City being called off meant they had extra preparation going into the game in Tralee. A good crowd showed up in MHP for what was sure to be a huge grudge match.
FIRST HALF
Both sides contested a tightly fought opening period at Mounthawk Park, with the visitors edging ahead before the interval. The hosts began on the front foot, and in the sixth minute, Cian Bargary delivered a high ball into the area that was punched clear by Jack Brady. The loose ball fell to Vince Borden on the edge of the box, but his effort sailed over the crossbar.
The game’s first major turning point arrived in the thirteenth minute when Treaty United were awarded a penalty. Samuel Aladesanusi appeared to execute a well-timed tackle on Ben Feeney inside the area, winning the ball cleanly in the eyes of many, yet the referee pointed to the spot. Cian Curtis stepped up and converted his strike, slipping into the bottom left corner just beneath the arms of Harvey Mangan, who was unfortunate not to keep it out.
Treaty United nearly doubled their advantage in the eighteenth minute when Steven Healy struck from just inside the area, forcing a save from Mangan. The rebound fell invitingly for Ben Feeney, but he failed to connect, allowing the Kerry goalkeeper to gather at the second attempt.
Kerry FC responded with a series of attacking moments as the half progressed. In the thirty-third minute, Arran Healy swung in a free kick from thirty-five yards on the left wing. The ball was cleared only as far as Cian Bargary, whose powerful and precise strike was comfortably caught by Brady. Two minutes later, Bargary again provided quality delivery from the right, but there was no Kerry player positioned to capitalise.
Despite Kerry’s attacking intent, Treaty United continued to threaten. In the thirty-sixth minute, Cian Curtis tested Mangan from distance, though the effort was dealt with routinely. Curtis came close again in the forty-first minute with a free kick from the edge of the area that flashed narrowly wide of the right-hand post.
Discipline became a factor late in the half, as Jonas Häkkinen was shown a yellow card in the forty-fourth minute. Treaty United maintained their narrow advantage into the break, leading 1-0 after a competitive and at times, contentious first period.
SECOND HALF
Kerry FC made a change at the interval, with Sean McGrath replacing Vince Borden, and the impact was immediate. In the forty-sixth minute, straight from the restart, the hosts found an equaliser. A corner delivered from the right by Sean O’Connell was met emphatically by Ryan Kelliher, who rose highest to power a header into the net, marking his first goal at Mounthawk Park since the 11th of April last year.
The goal injected renewed energy into the contest, though it also brought an increase in physicality. Jason Folarin Oyenuga was booked in the forty-eighth minute, followed by Niall Brookwell in the fifty-second minute as both sides battled for control. Treaty United had an opportunity to restore their lead in the fifty-fourth minute, but Ben Feeney fired wide from the edge of the area.
Kerry introduced further fresh legs in the fifty-ninth minute, with Ewan Lee replacing Arran Healy, as they pushed for a winner. Kilian Cantwell was cautioned in the sixty-third minute, reflecting the growing intensity of the encounter.
A significant chance arrived in the sixty-sixth minute when Sean O’Connell played a ball down the line to Cian Murphy, who broke in behind the defence. Cutting inside, Murphy aimed a shot towards the bottom right corner, but a crucial block from the Treaty defence denied what looked like a certain goal.
Treaty United remained dangerous, and in the seventy-third minute, Harvey Mangan was called upon to deal with a half-chance inside the six-yard box, reacting well to prevent any further danger. Kerry continued to press, and in the seventy-eighth minute, Cian Bargary shot wide of the right-hand post after being pulled back by Ben Lynch.
Moments later, in the seventy-ninth minute, Ewan Lee saw a deflected effort from range loop over for a corner, which Treaty subsequently cleared. Kerry came close again in the eighty-second minute when a quick throw-in found Sean McGrath. Despite being tripped, McGrath managed to get his shot away, forcing a save that resulted in a corner, though once again Treaty defended resolutely.
As the match entered its closing stages, further bookings were issued to Cian Bargary in the eighty-third minute and Ben Lynch in the eighty-sixth minute. Kerry FC had two glorious opportunities to snatch victory late on. In the eighty-eighth minute, Jack Brady produced an excellent save to deny Bargary in a one-on-one situation from a tight angle after a well-worked move. Then, in the ninetieth minute, Cian Murphy’s header clipped the bottom of the left-hand post and went agonisingly wide.
With one minute added at the end of normal time, neither side could find a decisive breakthrough. Ryan Kelliher’s early second-half header ultimately ensured the spoils were shared, as the contest finished 1-1 after a hard-fought and evenly matched encounter at Mounthawk Park. Kerry now looks ahead to three weekends in a row on the road, with the first coming next Saturday evening in Bishopsgate as they take on Longford Town.
Kerry FC Team: Harvey Mangan; Kilian Cantwell (C), Sean O’Connell, Ryan Kelliher (GOAL ‘46), Cian Murphy, Jonas Häkkinen, Samuel Aladesanusi, Vince Borden, Niall Brookwell, Arran Healy, Cian Bargary.
Subs Used: Sean McGrath, Ewan Lee
Treaty United Team: Jack Brady; Ben Lynch, Steven Healy, Cian Curtis (GOAL PEN ‘14), Ben Feeney, Eric Yoro, Jason Folarin Oyenuga, Darren Nwankwo, Robbie Lynch, Mark Murphy, Raphael Ohin.