David Moriarty reports on Kerry FC’s away game against Cobh Ramblers last night…
COBH RAMBLERS 2-1 KERRY FC
Kerry FC travelled for their penultimate away game of the season as they travelled to St. Colman’s Park on Friday evening to take on Cobh Ramblers.
Kerry FC were looking to improve on the point they took away from Finn Harps last week and Cobh were looking for their second win on the bounce as they beat Athlone Town last Friday night.
With just a couple of games left in the season, both sides wanted to finish the season on a high which started with a wet night in Cobh.
Cobh took the lead early on through a penalty from Jason Abbott. Matthew McKevitt was played through on goal and tried to go around Antonio Tuta.
McKevitt won the duel with Tuta as the Croatian took him down with referee David Dunne having no hesitation in pointing to the spot. Abbott stepped up and placed the ball into the top right corner to give the hosts the lead.
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Kerry had their first real chance on goal in the nineteenth minute when Nathan Gleeson had possession of the ball just outside the eighteen yard box.
A flick up had Kerry FC looking for a penalty which was waved away, Nathan continued with the ball and got his shot off but it did not trouble Darragh Burke in the Ramblers goal who claimed the ball with ease.
The first sight on goal was a sign of more to come for Kerry FC as shortly after Cian Brosnan got the equaliser. A great ball through the channel into Brosnan was timed perfectly and Cian had no trouble in finishing the opportunity into the bottom left corner.
McGrath and Brosnan linked up once again seven minutes before halftime as a low cross into the area by Sean McGrath was met by Cian Brosnan at the near post but he could not get enough on the effort to divert it towards goal as Kerry FC finished the first half in a strong position.
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Kerry FC had a decent amount of possession at the beginning of the second half and Oran Crowe got the first real chance of the second forty-five.
A long shot from Crowe outside the area nestled off the side netting and from some angles it looked like it may have gone in but it was not to be for Kerry FC’s number four.
On the hour mark a nice bit of play from Nathan Gleeson led to an over the top pass to Sean McGrath. Just before Sean was able to pull the trigger the ball was cleared away by Cobh in a good piece of defensive play from the home team.
Although Kerry FC had the better chances and the most possession of the second half it would be Cobh who would regain their lead.
Dale Holland took a shot from just inside the box and was saved well by Antonio Tuta who put the ball out for a corner. The resulting corner was swung in and Jason Abbott rose highest and got his second goal of the night from a lovely header.
The game was then controlled by Cobh from there on out and they went away in the end with all three points. A special mention must come the way of Rob Vasiu who came on as a second half substitute to make his first appearance of the season after injury.
Now for Kerry FC they still sit ninth with Longford Town to still play at the weekend and Kerry look ahead to next week’s final away game of the season as they travel to Ferrycarrig Park to take on Wexford FC.
COBH RAMBLERS TEAM: 1. DARRAGH BURKE, 2. MICHAEL MCCARTHY, 5. BRENDAN FRAHILL, 10. JACK LARKIN, 16. DAVID BOSNJAK, 20. CHARLIE O’BRIEN, 27. DAVID EGUAIBOR, 28. DALE HOLLAND, 33. REGIX MADIKA, 38. LUKA LE BERVET, 39. JASON ABBOTT (C) (GOAL ‘ 7 PEN, ‘71).
SUBS: CATHAL O’HANLON, L. CURTIN, JUSTIN EGUAIBOR, DEAN LARKIN, PIERCE PHILLIPS, JAMES O’LEARY, NOLAN EVERS.
KERRY FC TEAM: 1. ANTONIO TUTA, 23. FINN BARRETT, 6. ETHAN KOS, 5. ANDY SPAIN (C), 3. SEAN O’CONNELL, 8. RONAN TEAHAN, 24. CIAN BARRETT, 7. SEAN MCGRATH, 13. NATHAN GLEESON, 10. VALERII DOLIA, 17. CIAN BROSNAN (GOAL ‘22).
SUBS: DAIRE FOLEY, VICTOR UDEZE, ROB VASIU, TOM HEALY, ANDREW KERINS, KENNEDY AMECHI, BOBBY AMADASUN