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MATCHDAY 16: Dundalk FC 2-0 Kerry FC
Kerry FC were back on the road for the first time in three weeks as they took the long spin up to Oriel Park to take on Dundalk FC for the first time in Louth.
Kerry FC came into this one on a three-game unbeaten streak, but they would have liked to have been on a three-game winning streak after last Friday’s 1-1 draw at home to Wexford FC. For the hosts, they have just two wins in their previous six games, a slight patch of tough form, although they still led the league by four points before the game kicked off.
Kerry FC would be without Daniel Okwute on the night as he picked up an accumulated yellow card suspension after last Friday’s game. Ryan Kelliher looks to be sidelined for some time after his injury against UCD a month ago, and Kennedy Amechi made his first league squad appearance of the season.
It was another League of Ireland ground checked off the list for Kerry FC supporters as they looked to leave Louth with more than just a memento.
FIRST HALF
In the opening minute, it was Kerry FC who had the first opportunity of the game. Joe Adams had a long-range strike from just outside the eighteen-yard box go well wide of Enda Minogue’s goal. It was a positive start from the Kingdom, who were showing no signs of being pushed over by the league leaders in the opening stages.
Just four minutes later, Adams was in on the action once again. He picked up the ball in the middle of the park and drove with it convincingly. His strike was much better than the last effort and forced Minogue to pull out a fantastic save to deny a Kerry FC lead.
In the seventh minute, Vincent Leonard had the first chance of note from a Dundalk standpoint. A corner whipped in by Sean Keogh went all the way to the back stick to Leonard, but he could not get enough on the header, which really should have been the opener for the Lilywhites.
The game died down from a frantic opening ten minutes and became a lot cagier. Dundalk started to gain much more of the possession and momentum, but Kerry FC defended well and equally attacked with great poise.
Just after the half-hour mark, Kerry FC had another great opportunity, this time from Luke Palmer. A ball across the six-yard box found Palmer well inside the area, but his effort was equalled by Minogue once again.
Five minutes before the end of the opening half, Joe Adams whipped in a free kick which was cleared only as far as Carl Mujaguzi, who did very well to get his half-volley effort off. It looked destined for the bottom right corner, but Keith Ward did enough to keep the ball from nestling into the back of the net.
Kerry’s missed chances would come back to haunt them when a goal out of the blue came from Leonardo Gaxha. A seemingly misplaced cross on the right wing somehow managed to find its way into the back of the Kerry FC net, giving the hosts the lead going into the break.
SECOND HALF
Kerry did not let the late first-half setback keep them down and kept plugging away at Dundalk. The Town’s first chance of the second half came when Daryl Horgan fired the ball into the back of the net, but mistimed his run and was caught offside inside the area. The linesman’s flag a relief to the large Kerry following in Oriel Park.
A ball played across the area looked perfectly timed for Sean McGrath just thirteen minutes into the second half, but was cleared superbly by the Dundalk defender at the back post.
Daryl Horgan would make right of his previous disallowed goal in the sixty-seventh minute when his long-range curling effort gave Tim-Oliver Hiemer no chance as it went straight into the top left corner. Kerry had a tough enough battle being down 1-0 to the league leaders, but it felt too much to come back from at that stage with the hosts two to the good.
With twenty minutes to go, second-half substitute Eemeli Honkola, had an opportunity to reduce the deficit for Kerry FC, but his shot just inside the area went flying over the crossbar.
With fifteen minutes left, Hiemer did brilliantly to deny Luke Mulligan of a third Dundalk goal, and from then on out, Dundalk would see out the game and take the three points.
A tough defeat for Kerry FC after a decent few performances over the past month, but it was always going to be a huge ask to get something off this strong Dundalk side, especially on the 10-hour round journey. Kerry FC now turn their focus to next Friday as they play their last game before the Summer break at home in Tralee against Longford Town who are level on points with the Kingdom
KERRY FC TEAM: 1. Tim-Oliver Hiemer, 5. Chris McQueen, 4. Oran Crowe. 6. Carl Mujaguzi, 7. Sean McGrath (C), 8. Ronan Teahan, 10, Joe Adams, 15. Kevin Williams, 18. Samuel Aladesanusi, 21. Luke Palmer 28. Niall Brookwell.
SUBS: Mathyas Randriamamy, Kennedy Amechi, Nathan Gleeson, Eemeli Honkola, Cian Brosnan, Abel Alabi, Sean O’Connell, Finn Barrett, Oran Horgan.
DUNDALK FC TEAM: 1. Enda Minogue, 3. Sean Keogh, 4. Mayowa Animasahun, 6. Aodh Dervin, 10. Leonardo Gaxha (GOAL ‘42), 7. Daryl Horgan (C) (GOAL ‘68), 11. Gbemi Arubi, 15. Vincent Leonard, 17. Keith Ward, 26. Shane Tracey.
SUBS: Dean Ebbe, Luke Mulligan, Eoin Kenny, Peter Cherrie, Sean Spaight, Samuel Safaei, Muhammad Harris, Andy Paraschiv, Trevor Joseph Molloy Murray.
