REPORT: SSE AIRTRICITY MEN’S FIRST DIVISION
MATCHDAY 18: Athlone Town 2-2 Kerry FC
Kerry FC were back in action last night as they came back from the Summer Break with a trip up to the Midlands and faced Athlone Town in Athlone. Kerry FC finished off the lead into the break in a strong position, with three wins in their last five games, picking up ten points with their only defeat being a respectable 2-0 loss away to league leaders Dundalk FC.
Kerry FC manager, Colin Healy, in his pre-Athlone press conference, said his side possibly had their break come too fast as they were in a very good run of form, but was confident his side could put in a decent performance in Athlone. Healy gave some details of possible changes to his squad on the day with Carl Mujaguzi being a doubt due to his early injury in the first half at home against Longford Town, but besides maybe a couple of last minute fitness tests, his side would be as close to full strength as possible for the clash.
For Athlone Town, they went into the break, up in the air both on and off the pitch. Athlone have only picked up one win since the twenty-first of March as they sit at rock bottom of the First Division. They announced a new manager last Sunday in Ian Ryan. Ryan was previously with Bray Wanderers, and his Bray team never lost to Kerry FC while he was in charge, a fact that would be on the minds of Kerry FC going into the game.
It is a huge couple of weeks for Kerry FC as they have some big games coming up as they try to edge closer to the playoff places, as they sit just five points off of fifth place going into the Athlone battle. A decent Kerry crowd travelled to Athlone with the hope of continuing where they left off before the break.
FIRST HALF
Eleven minutes into the game, Daniel Okwute had Kerry FC’s opening shot of the game saved by Matthew Connor from outside the area. It was a decent strike from Okwute, but his shot was at a good height for Athlone’s number one to get to.
Eight minutes later, Athlone opened their account of chances when Oisin Duffy’s effort sailed over the crossbar. It was a decent effort from the number eighteen, but he leaned back and was always going to end in one way.
The entirety of the first half was quite cagey, and both teams were sussing each other out for the duration, which impacted the opportunity of any real, clear-cut chances.
The best chance of the half came with seven minutes before the interval when Kyle Robinson went through on goal at an angle. With the oncoming pressure of Alex Dunne and Tim-Oliver Hiemer, Robinson chipped his effort across the goal and wide, with a possibility of nerves from the Athlone centre forward.
Five minutes before the break, Sean McGrath made inroads down the left wing and fired a dangerous cross across the six-yard box, but unfortunately, there was nobody inside the area to convert a big chance for the Kingdom before the break.
SECOND HALF
Three minutes after the break, the second half blew into action with a penalty being awarded for a foul from Oran Crowe on Aaron Connolly. It was a trailing leg that caught out Kerry’s number four, and there was no hesitation for the referee to point to the spot. Kyle Robinson stepped up and converted brilliantly into the bottom right corner.
Their lead was short-lived as Sean McGrath equalised just two minutes later with a goal filled with individual brilliance. McGrath picked the ball up inside the area, and a couple of drops of the shoulder opened up space for him to finish the chance into the bottom right corner.
Athlone had two great chances to regain the lead, just three minutes between each other. The first was from Ben Feeney, who had space at the back post but dragged his shot a yard wide as he was falling to the ground. The second came from Kailin Barlow. Barlow took a shot from well outside the area and just went inches wide of Tim-Oliver Hiemer’s right-hand post.
After the hour mark, Kennedy Amechi entered the field of play and made an instant impact, putting Kerry FC 2-1 up with twenty-two minutes to go. Kennedy was played into space and carried the ball for fifteen yards under pressure for the duration before his trickling shot managed to make its way into the bottom right corner.
Daniel Okwute had a great opportunity to put the game to bed, but his shot inside the left six of the box was blocked over for a corner, which eventually led to nothing.
Kerry FC were hanging on with continued pressure from Athlone Town, and eventually, with a minute before added time, Cole Omorehiomwan grabbed an equaliser for the home side. It came quickly to the centre back, but he reacted quickly to draw level. It stayed that way after added time, and the points were shared in the Midlands.
A tough end to the game for Kerry FC, who deserved more from the game, given how they reacted to going down by a goal early in the second half. They will put their minds away from the game quickly as they look ahead to next Friday night when they take on Bray Wanderers in Mounthawk Park.
ATHLONE TOWN TEAM: 1. Matthew Connor, 3. Kyle O’Connor, 5. Dylan Hand, 8. Aaron Connolly (C), 11. Kyle Robinson (GOAL PEN ‘49), 12. Cole Omorehiomwan (GOAL ‘89), 15. Ben Feeney, 16. Daniel McKenna, 18. Oisin Duffy, 19. Kailin Barlow, 24. Gideon Tetteh.
SUBS: Lee Axworthy Duggan, German Fuentes Rodriguez, Dean Williams, Noe Baba, Brian Torre, Matthew Leal, Billy Gilmore, Alex Sheerin,
KERRY FC TEAM: 1. Tim-Oliver Hiemer, 2. Alex Dunne, 5. Chris McQueen, 4. Oran Crowe, 7. Sean McGrath (C) (GOAL ‘51), 8. Ronan Teahan, 11. Daniel Okwute, 15. Kevin Williams, 18. Samuel Aladesanusi, 21. Luke Palmer, 28. Niall Brookwell.
SUBS: Mathyas Randriamamy, Kennedy Amechi (GOAL ‘, Nathan Gleeson, Cian Brosnan, Abel Alabi, Sean O’Connell, Finn Barrett
