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By Ivan Hurley
Kerry Football Club welcome Athlone Town AFC to Mounthawk Park on Friday night (kick-off 7.45pm) on Matchday 11 of the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division.
With the season now well underway, the kingdom find themselves in a strong position after 11 matches. Unbeaten in eight games in all competitions, Kerry hasn’t tasted defeat since March 1.
Six league draws along with the win over Longford Town last time out in Mounthawk Park have Kerry on nine points, one point short of the season total in 2023.
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That win over Longford Town has given the club and its supporters a huge lift as the second round of matches in the league continue.
Another clean sheet in Limerick last week made it two on the bounce for the Kingdom and Croatian keeper Antonio Tuta.
Although Kerry kept Treaty United off the score sheet, there will be some frustration that the league newcomers couldn’t find the back of the Markets Field net last time out. Athlone Town will be buoyed by the narrow 1-0 over Finn Harps in Lissywollen last time out.
Sitting just one place above Kerry on the table, attention is drawn to Athlone’s away form in 2024, losing four of their five away games to date while picking up a point on Matchday 2 in Turners Cross against Cobh Ramblers all while conceding 12 goals on the road.
A win for Kerry would guarantee a leapfrog over Athlone and into 7th place while the result in the Carlisle Grounds between Bray Wanderers and Treaty could dictate where Kerry FC sit on the table come 9:30pm on Friday night.
The 1-1 draw in Lissywollen on Matchday 4 was the first ever between the sides. Daniel Okwute’s Goal of the Month contender was cancelled out by Dylan Hand 20 minutes from time. Athlone Town are one of two teams that Kerry FC have managed to take all three points off of in SSE Airtricity First Division history.
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Kerry FC have multiple former Athlone Town men in their ranks. Jack Kavanagh, Andy Spain, Valerii Dolia and Victor Udeze all applied their trade for the Midlander’s in seasons past.
Speaking to the media earlier this week, Conor McCarthy gave some positive news on the injury front ahead of Friday night’s game.
Sean McGrath, who missed the game against Treaty United should be in the mix to come back following a small strain on the groin.
Kennedy Amechi is very close to a return. Jack Kavanagh is back in the Matchday squad following his return from injury last week. Nathan Gleeson is also back in training while Valerii Dolia is due for another scan on his foot this week to give another update on his condition.
“To be fair, every game we look at now we feel we have a good chance of winning it,” said Conor McCarthy.
“If we do all the right things between now and the game to approach it correctly with the right attitude we have a great chance. But, if those things are slightly off you can be found out fairly quickly.”
“To be fair to the players, their attitude has been very good, the way they’ve trained and applied themselves has been top class and that is evident every Friday night. But like that the levels of consistency need to be there week in and week out and if they aren’t, you can be found out quickly in this league.”
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