REPORT: SSE AIRTRICITY MEN’S FIRST DIVISION
MATCHDAY 4: Kerry FC 0-1 Bray Wanderers
Kerry FC played at home once again on Friday night as they took on Bray Wanderers in Mounthawk Park. Kerry came into this one off the back of an extraordinary game against Dundalk FC last Friday night when the ball just would not go into the back of the net for the Kingdom.
Bray Wanderers came down to Tralee after a 2-0 loss away to Wexford FC in Ferrycarrig Park. Kerry FC had not beaten Bray Wanderers in the League of Ireland leading into this one. Seven losses and just the one draw meant that Kerry were desperate to take three points off the Wanderers for the first time at senior level.
Joe Adams was set to return to the Kerry FC lineup after a two-game suspension, which would be a big boost for Conor McCarthy’s men. Adams was in the thick of the action in the opening day win over Finn Harps and will hope that his return to action could secure another three points for Kerry FC.
FIRST HALF
It was the ideal start for Bray inside just two minutes when Calum Costello put the Seagulls into the lead. A back pass from Niall Brookwell led to an unfortunate mistake from Tim-Oliver Hiemer in the build-up who’s kick out was blocked and held up well by Jordan Tallon setting up Costello to finish brilliantly from a tight angle.
Kerry kept their heads up and attacked like nothing had happened, showing great resiliency. In the seventh minute, a flurry of chances nearly got the equaliser for Kerry FC. Both Luke Palmer and Kevin Williams had efforts cleared off the line before Chris McQueen’s shot inside the area was saved superbly by James Corcoran in the Bray goal.
Sean McGrath was the next Kerry FC player to have a shot on goal saved as Corcoran was the on point again to keep his effort at bay inside the six-yard box.
Paul Murphy had a free header inside the area go just over the crossbar as Bray were unlucky in the instance not to go two goals in front with twenty minutes left in the half.
In the twenty-eighth minute Kerry FC were denied a stonewall penalty when Luke Palmer was taken down in the area by Corcoran. Repetitive decisions such as this are becoming all too familiar for the Kerry FC faithful this season.
Five minutes to go in the half, Jamie Duggan had a long-range shot on goal go very close to doubling Bray’s advantage going into the second forty-five.
SECOND HALF
Kerry started the second half as they finished the first with Luke Palmer being in on the action once again. The academy graduate who made his full debut on the evening had a headed effort denied by Corcoran from point-blank range.
A new half and another half of poor decisions for Kerry FC as a goal bound header from Chris McQueen was unbelievably palmed away of the goal not by goalkeeper James Corcoran but this time by midfielder Cian Doyle. An irate Kerry FC appeal for a penalty was waved away by Lucas Keating and led to a yellow card for Daniel Okwute for his protests.
Mathyas Randriamamy was introduced for his debut at halftime in place of Tim-Oliver Hiemer who picked up a knock late into the second half. It took no time for the Madagascar international to get into the thick of the action as he got down in some fashion to deny Conor Knight with half an hour to play.
Very few chances came in the remaining half an hour for either team as Bray were able to come away with the three points on the night. A valiant effort from Kerry FC was not enough to grab at least a point from the game, who now have back-to-back away games in Longford and Wexford as they seek their first win since the opening night of the season.
KERRY FC TEAM: 1. Tim Oliver-Hiemer, 2. Alex Dunne, 5. Chris McQueen, 15. Kevin Williams, 3. Sean O’Connell, 28. Niall Brookwell, 4. Oran Crowe, 7. Sean McGrath (C), 11. Daniel Okwute, 21. Luke Palmer, 10. Joe Adams
SUBS: Mathyas Randriamamy, Carl Mujaguzi, Kennedy Amechi, Cian Brosnan, Finn Barrett, Robert Keane, Abel Alabi, Steven Stanic-Floody.
BRAY WANDERERS TEAM: 1. James Corcoran, 2. Max Murphy, 4. Kilian Cantwell (C), 11. Thomas Considine, 12. Jamie Duggan, 14. Cian Curtis, 14. Jordan Tallon, 16. Paul Murphy, 17. Cian Coyle, 21. Rhys Knight, 26. Calum Costello (GOAL ‘2).
SUBS: Stephen McGuinness, Harvey Warren, Conor Knight, Rhys Bartley, Guillermo Almirall, Billy O’Neill, Richard Ferizaj, Kyle Degelman.
