Ivan Hurley previews Kerry FC’s upcoming Airtricity League of Ireland Division 1 game this Friday night…
KERRY FC make the trip to the sunny south-east on Friday night as they pay a visit to Ferrycarrig Park for the first time in 2024 on Matchday 16 (kick-off 7.45pm).
Kerry are currently on a run of five straight defeats in the league and will be looking to find some form before the summer break in a couple of weeks time.
Defeats on the road in Bray and Longford along with narrow losses against Cork City, Athlone Town and UCD in Mounthawk Park have been a disappointment to everyone having gone on a run of eight games unbeaten through the month of March and into April.
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But the narrowness of defeats will give the side some confidence that results can be found once the performance level remains in place for the 90+ minutes.
Three games in seven days last week took its toll on the squad and with a week gap leading up to this one, the team is once again ready and hungry to put more points on the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division table.
The last time these sides met was in Mounthawk Park during that run of results for the Kingdom. Sean O’Connell scored his first senior League of Ireland goal in a 1-1 draw in an emotionally charged night in Tralee.
Aaron Dobbs cancelled out Kerry’s lead early in the second half and despite a late red card for the visitors, the hosts couldn’t find a winner in the dying embers of the game.
The hosts tomorrow night Wexford FC come into the game off the back of four games unbeaten in the league and three draws on the bounce against Treaty, Cork and Athlone.
In their 14 games to date, Wexford only have one win at home to their name, that coming against Treaty United at the beginning of April.
But with their ability to eke out results, the ‘Wexicans’ sit in 6th place on the table and only missing out on the playoff places on goal difference.
Kerry have one Wexford man in the squad in Graham O’Reilly who will be looking for a return home to remember on Friday night.
Conor McCarthy has no fresh injury concerns ahead of the trip on Friday night. Kennedy Amechi, who exited the defeat to UCD early on Friday night due to a cut on his face has recovered and is in contention for a place in the Starting XI.
Ronan Teahan returned from injury and played 45 minutes against the students on Friday night. Captain Andy Spain will be assessed before making the journey on Friday to see if he is fit enough to warrant a place in the 20-man squad.
“Wexford are obviously a very good side, they did very well last year as well,” said Conor McCarthy. “They are unbeaten in their last four — three draws and a win — so it will be tough and as always going up there is very difficult.”
“But, like that when we played them at home I thought we played very well, we could have gotten more than a point out of the game. So we are looking to bring the same energy and intensity to Ferrycarrig Park as we did at home and hopefully, we can get three points as opposed to a point.”
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