Match Report – Longford Town v Kerry FC

REPORT: SSE AIRTRICITY MEN’S FIRST DIVISION

MATCHDAY 28: LONGFORD TOWN 2-2 KERRY FC

Kerry FC returned to League of Ireland action on Saturday evening as they took on Longford Town in Bishopsgate. The last time the two faced each other in the midlands Longford took the three points on the May Bank Holiday Monday with goals from Francis Campbell, Luke Wade Slater and a fantastic acrobatic consolation goal from Ryan Kelliher.

Kerry FC were in high spirits coming into the game after a dramatic second-round FAI Cup tie last weekend against Bohemians which the Dublin side won on penalties. Bohemians will play UCD away in the quarter-final, but the country noticed the Kerry FC team’s desire and heart on the day.

Longford Town are struggling in their centenary year in the League of Ireland as they sit bottom four points adrift of the Kingdom in ninth. A win in Bishopsgate would do the home side a world of good as they look to finish the final quarter of the season strongly.

First Half:
Kerry FC came out of the traps the fastest and it was evident when they took the lead in the eleventh minute thanks to Ethan Kos. A corner was whipped into the area by Cian Brosnan and Kos rose highest to get on the end of the cross to put Kerry FC ahead.
As time went on, Longford grew into the game and had slightly more possession than Kerry but were unable to create much with it. That was until the twenty-first minute just ten minutes after Kerry took the lead when Longford would equalise through Francis Campbell. It was a goal made by Mohammed Boudiaf who used great trickery to get into the box and get a shot away. Aaron O’Sullivan did very well to keep the initial shot out but could not keep the follow-up at bay as Campbell tapped home for the equaliser.

As the half went on the game became quite scrappy with both sides giving up possession very easily in threatening attacking areas. Cian Brosnan had a couple of decent chances before the close of the first forty-five with his first being a powerful shot that went wide of Harry Halwax’s right-hand post. The second was a snapshot just outside the area that hit the top of the crossbar but unfortunately was not accurate enough to trouble the Longford shot-stopper.

Second Half:
Francis Campbell came closest for Longford as they took the reins of the second half from early on with a couple of half-decent chances. Campbell had an audacious overhead kick and a header go over the crossbar just six minutes after each other. Kerry were struggling to create much and found it hard to get into the opposition’s box to threaten them. The longer that Kerry went without chances it would only be a matter of time before Longford would pounce and take the lead.

They did just that in the seventy-second minute through an unbelievable scissors kick from Mohammed Boudiaf. The ball came into the area and without thinking the Town attacker threw his body behind it and the ball nestled into the back of the net in a truly magnificent fashion.

With Kerry FC doing very little to counter the Longford Town pressing it felt as if it would be another typical night in the office for the Kerry FC men but they stuck at it and got an equaliser through Ryan Kelliher just ten minutes after Longford took the lead. Brilliant feet and skill from Daniel Okwute on the right wing opened space for himself to put the ball in low across the box for Kelliher who was there as usual to put away the chance at hand.

Both sides pressed to find a winner in what would turn out to be an entertaining final ten or so minutes but the points were shared as it finished in a two-all draw. Kerry would be happy to come away from Longford with a point for the first time and now look forward to the visit of UCD students next Friday in Mounthawk Park.