SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division
Matchday 21: Wexford FC 4-3 Kerry FC
Kerry FC were on the road for the 2nd time in 4 days and made the 600km round journey to Ferrycarrig Park to take on Wexford FC under the wet and misty skies in the south east.
Kerry came into the game off the back of a narrow 1-0 away loss to Cobh Ramblers in St. Colman’s Park last week and were looking to get back into some form away from home. The hosts, meanwhile, secured a point with a stalemate away to Treaty United on Monday evening.
The game was finely poised with just 2 points separating the sides going into the game. A win for Kerry would see the Kingdom overtake Wexford into 6th place and just 2 points off the play-off places, while Wexford were aiming to overtake UCD and retake the final play-off spot.
First Half
The game started in the best possible fashion for Kerry FC as after just 4 minutes, Kerry were awarded a penalty after Daniel Okwute was dragged down inside the Wexford box. Sean McGrath, who became the first Kerry FC player to make it to 100 appearances on the night, slotted the ball to the left and past Paul Martin in the Wexford goal. A perfect way to mark an incredible feat for our captain, Kerry FC have only played 102 competitive games, so Sean has only missed 2 games for the Kingdom since the club’s inception.
Sean O’Connell made a bursting run just a couple of minutes later and found Daniel Okwute in the box, but his shot was deflected behind well by the Wexford defence. In the 12th minute, Luke Palmer let one fly from outside the area, which forced Martin into a big save in the Wexford goal to keep the scoreline 0-1.
A couple of minutes later, it should have been 2 for the Kingdom. Daniel Okwute found himself in a 1v1 but at a tight angle. He rifled one towards the near post, beat Paul Martin in the Wexford goal, but saw his effort ricochet off the right-hand post, and a let-off for Wexford.
The hosts had the ball in the net after 21 minutes after a well-worked move, but the linesman on the far side had no hesitation in reaching for the offside flag. But Wexford were to draw level 60 seconds later. Calum Flynn with a superb finish on the right-hand side to undo Kerry’s hard work.
But there was a gale blowing on a soft June day in Ferrycarrig Park, and that wind was in Kerry’s favour in the opening 45. A moment of magic from Sean McGrath put Kerry back in the lead in the 37th minute. He let a shot fly from outside the box, which flew past Paul Martin to the delight of the large Kerry support who made the 600km round journey to support their side.
Kerry were piling on the pressure at this juncture and could have had a couple more before the break. Kevin Williams was doing well on the right and got a great ball in which was deflected behind for a corner. Sean O’Connell swung it in, and it found the head of Niall Brookwell, but his glancing header went wide of the far post by just a whisker.
A minute later, Kerry were awarded a second penalty of the game. Robert McCourt handled a fine shot by Sean McGrath and was given a straight red for his block down. Up stepped the Kerry skipper again and buried the penalty home to score a first-half hat-trick for Kerry and head into the dressing room 2 to the good and with an extra man.
Second Half
Wexford started the brightest in the second half and were rewarded for their efforts in the 50th minute. A foul on the edge of the box led to a superbly hit free kick. Mikie Rowe blasted home through the wall and into the back of the net, and it was game on in Ferrycarrig Park.
Wexford had the ball in the net again in the 60th minute, but the offside flag once again came to Kerry’s aid. Sean McGrath had Kerry’s best chance of the second half in the 66th minute. He found space in the box, but his shot was on the turn, and it was always climbing over Paul Martin’s crossbar. Aaron Dobbs had an effort from the edge of the area go just wide a couple of minutes later.
But delight turned to despair for the Kingdom in the space of 3 second-half minutes. First, in the 78th minute, Aaron Dobbs drew the hosts level. A lovely floating ball from a free kick found Dobbs in the area all on his own, and he slotted the ball home from close range. And 3 minutes later, the hosts would take the lead and complete the most unlikely of comebacks through Mikie Rowe, and what a goal it was. The number 7 shimmied his way around 2 Kerry defenders and let a shot fly from the edge of the D, which beat Tim Hiemer in the Kerry goal.
Kerry tried hard to find an equaliser in the last 10 minutes, the closest coming the way of Kevin Williams, who dragged his shot across the 6-yard box, but there was no Kerry player to get a toe on it. So it ended in a tough defeat on the road for Kerry, who will have to regroup for the visit of the league leaders, Dundalk FC, to Mounthawk Park next Friday evening.
WEXFORD FC: P Martin, R Butler, J Lyons, R McCourt, J Crawford, Z Abada, C Levinston, M Rowe, D Levingston, C Flynn, A Dobbs.
KERRY FC: Tim-Oliver Hiemer; Niall Brookwell, Chris McQueen, Kevin Williams, Sean O’Connell, Carl Mujaguzi, Oran Crowe, Samuel Aladesanusi, Sean McGrath, Daniel Okwute, Luke Palmer.
