REPORT: SSE AIRTRICITY MEN’S FIRST DIVISION
MATCHDAY 3: Kerry FC 0-1 Dundalk FC
Kerry FC were back at home in Mounthawk Park on Friday night as they geared up for their first of two back-to-back home games in Tralee. The first opponent was Dundalk FC and a first-ever game between the two in senior League of Ireland football.
Kerry FC came into this one in high spirits, picking up four points from a possible six with a 0-0 draw last week against Cobh Ramblers, securing their second straight clean sheet. Dundalk FC were in good form after opening their season with two wins from two against Athlone Town and Finn Harps just last week. Dundalk will want to put last season’s misery behind them and get straight back up to the Premier Division, although they might face some tough challenges along the way with the First Division looking more competitive than it has ever been before.
For Kerry FC, they would be without talisman Ryan Kelliher for quite some time as he went off injured just seven minutes into last week’s game with a hamstring injury. Kerry FC manager Conor McCarthy said in this week’s press conference that it was a great opportunity for other attackers to take the reins and get the all-important goals for his side.
It was a sellout match in Mounthawk Park with quite a number of Dundalk supporters making the trip down to Kerry. A rocking atmosphere was expected at the game. These are the events and games people all around the club have been looking forward to since its establishment of a senior team three years ago, it has become the usual down in Kerry, but every year it gets bigger and bigger!
FIRST HALF
Dundalk started the sharpest as Daryl Horgan hit the crossbar just nine minutes in. A first for a Kerry FC game as he became the first player with a senior Ireland cap to play in Mounthawk Park. They continued their flurry of chances with shots both from Martin McHale and Sean Keogh dragging wide of the goal.
The away side got their reward in the twenty-fifth minute as Dean Ebbe scored to put Dundalk one up. A lovely one-two between Horgan and the goal scorer created a great opportunity which Dundalk’s number nine dispatched with real precision.
Kerry FC had their first real sign of goal on the half hour mark when Niall Brookwell’s header went just over the crossbar. Kerry found a route back into the game in the thirty-fifth minute when former Kerry FC captain Leo Gaxha was given a straight red for a horrendous tackle on Niall Brookwell which had little to no complaints.
Eoin Kenny should have put Dundalk two up ahead of the break as a breakaway chance saw him try to dink the ball over Tim-Oliver Hiemer, but his effort went wide of the post and was a real let off for Kerry FC. Just a few minutes later Kenny was in again but his effort this time was saved by Hiemer superbly in the Kerry FC net.
On the stroke of half-time Kerry FC thought they had their equalizer when a fantastic cross from Alex Dunne was met by Nathan Gleeson who headed onto the crossbar going agonizingly close to a leveler.
SECOND HALF
Kerry was the dominant side in the second forty-five and nearly got their goal just a minute in when Daniel Okwute wriggled around the Dundalk defense to get a shot off which was cleared off the line.
The next few opportunities came from Sean McGrath who had two chances in quick succession. The first was an effort outside the area, which dragged wide with the second coming off the back of a scramble inside the area, but his shot was collected comfortably by Enda Minogue.
With ten minutes to play, Daryl Horgan was in on goal but a heroic block from Niall Brookwell kept out the danger as Kerry were eager to go forward and hopefully salvage a point from the game with the time remaining.
A few minutes before added time, Kerry FC had another goal-bound scramble cleared away, there was so much going on that it was so hard to see who did what, but Dundalk were able to clear their lines and eventually go out 1-0 winners.
A valiant effort from Kerry FC who took the game to League of Ireland giants Dundalk FC. Kerry now switches their focus to next week as they return to Mounthawk Park to take on Bray Wanderers.
KERRY FC TEAM: 1. Tim Oliver-Hiemer, 2. Alex Dunne, 5. Chris McQueen, 15. Kevin Williams, 3. Sean O’Connell, 28. Niall Brookwell, 6. Carl Mujaguzi, 7. Sean McGrath (C), 11. Daniel Okwute, 13. Nathan Gleeson, 8. Ronan Teahan.
SUBS: Mathyas Randriamamy, Oran Crowe, Kennedy Amechi, Luke Palmer, Cian Brosnan, Finn Barrett, Theo Farquharson, Steven Stanic-Floody, Oran Horgan
DUNDALK FC TEAM: 1. Enda Minogue, 2. Conor O’Keeffe, 15. Vincent Leonard, 3. Seán Keogh, 5. Martin Sean McHale 6. Aodh Dervin, 8. Harry Groome, 10. Leo Gaxha (RED CARD ‘35), 16. Eoin Kenny, 7. Daryl Horgan (C), 9. Dean Ebbe (GOAL ‘25).
SUBS: Peter Cherrie, Samuel Safaei, Keith Ward, Mayowa Animasahun, Luke Mulligan, Gbemi Arubi, Norman Garbett, Andy Paraschiv.
