Match Report – Wexford FC v Kerry FC

REPORT: SSE AIRTRICITY MEN’S FIRST DIVISION

MATCHDAY 35: WEXFORD FC 4-0 KERRY FC

Kerry FC travelled to Ferrycarrig Park on Friday night to take on Wexford FC in their final away game of the 2024 League of Ireland season. Kerry looked to bounce back from last week’s narrow defeat in Cobh whereas Wexford FC were looking to secure their place in the promotion spots for a second successive season.

First Half:
Wexford FC enjoyed the majority of the possession in the opening ten minutes although they were not able to create anything concrete. The Kerry FC defence were under pressure from the early stages with a lot of crosses into the area but they were able to deal with them quite easily.

The pressure was increasing as the half went on. Kerry FC were finding it hard to get out of the Wexford FC box but managed to deal with said pressure as we drifted into the half an hour mark.

James Crawford had Wexford’s first big chance of the game in the thirty-fifth minute. A free kick in a central area was struck by Crawford just outside the eighteen-yard box looked to be going in but a deflection steered the ball away from goal and out for a corner which subsequently led to nothing.

Crawford had another big chance just five minutes later as a half-cleared cross by Andy Spain found its way to Wexford’s number thirteen at the back post. He had time and space to find the target but was unable to do so and struck the effort wide of Antonio Tuta’s right-hand post.

Second Half:
Half time brought a special moment for young Kingdom player Oran Horgan who became the youngest player to play for Kerry FC at sixteen years, eleven months and four days.

As the game went into the hour mark, possession stats were heavily in favour of the home side. It was hoped that if Kerry FC could frustrate this Wexford FC side as they were attacking that they might go the other way and create chances. Wexford were on top of this threat though and in the sixty-first minute a corner delivered on the left side by Darragh Levingston was met by captain Ethan Boyle at the near post to put the home side a goal to the good.

In an attempt to threaten Wexford FC in an attacking sense, Conor McCarthy made his second change of the evening as he swapped Kennedy Amechi for Tom Healy to introduce further pace into the Kerry FC attack.

Aaron Dobbs a few minutes later had a glorious chance to double Wexford’s lead. Dobbs received the ball in space inside the box but a great block on the shot by Kerry FC captain Andy Spain diverted the ball out for a corner which was then cleared away.

Wexford FC’s constant pressure became a burden and the yellow bellies would double their lead nine minutes after the first goal. Another corner from Darragh Levingston was delivered into a dangerous area. The ball could not be cleared by Antonio Tuta and the ball which was around a sea of players was eventually finished by Sean McHale into the back of the net.

Kerry FC were unable to create many chances going forward due to a compact Wexford defence. The possession was slightly more even in the closing stages of the game but with that Kerry could not break down their counterparts.

Wexford FC found the third goal in the eighty-sixth minute when a great cross into the area by Cian Corbally was met and converted by Divin Isamala with a glancing header. Before Kerry FC could get themselves back up after the restart the home side added a fourth through Cian Curtis just a minute later. Darragh Levingston was in on the action once again as a through pass into the channel was delivered to Curtis who finished the opportunity with ease.

There was four minutes added on at the end of the second half and with that brought the final whistle and ended Kerry FC’s 2024 away season with a tough loss in Ferrycarrig Park. Kerry FC will try to end the season on a much needed high note as they take on an Athlone Town side in Mounthawk Park next Friday who have already secured a playoff berth.