By Ivan Hurley
KERRY Football Club faces their third away game in succession as they travel to Lissywollen to take on Athlone Town on match night 26 of the SSE Airtricity First Division campaign (kick-off 7.45pm).
It’s second against ninth in the division as Kerry face the top two in the league away from home in back-to-back league matches.
Following a 2-0 defeat in Turners Cross to league leaders Cork City, Kerry will be looking for a better overall performance against the league’s in-form side Athlone Town.
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Following the cup win in Cobh two weeks ago, the Kingdom will be looking to reignite their season with 10 matches remaining but it will be a tough ask against the inform Athlone Town outfit.
Five wins back to back since mid-June has the Midlanders sitting pretty in the playoff places, 13 points safe from collapse out of the positions.
Despite Kerry’s recent upturn in home form, the wait for a league win away from home rumbles on for McCarthy’s men in 2024.
In fact, the club’s sole away league victory came against Athlone Town last season. So Kerry will have to bring their A-game if there is to be a chance of an upset in Athlone.
But Kerry will carry confidence from previous meetings against Athlone which have all been tight affairs. With just a single draw between the sides, neither team has won the previous five meetings by more than a single goal in the club’s short history against each other.
That coupled with two former Kerry men in the home dressing room is sure to add a tasty feel to this one. Leo Gaxha and Lee Axworthy have both swapped the green of Kerry for Athlone’s black in recent weeks. It is definitely not a game to be missed!
Only a single goal has ever separated these two sides in the previous meetings. A 1-1 draw in Mounthawk Park being the exception earlier this year, wins for both Kerry and Athlone have been by the narrowest possible margin over the last 18 months
Speaking to the media earlier this week, James Sugrue said former Athlone man Valerii Dolia is nearer to a return than in previous weeks but will sit this one out. Andy Spain returned from a knock to play the 90 minutes against Cork last time out but goalkeeper Antonio Tuta was sidelined for that one. He is in line to return on Friday.
“We are well aware Athlone are a very good side,” said James Sugrue. “They were very good last year and have strengthened this year as well. But we go up there with the same mentality again, same as we did against Cork. A good footballing side, a lot of speed. They are on the top side of the table for a reason, so we know it will be tough. But like I say, we fear nobody, we will apply ourselves, go there with a plan and give it a good shot’.
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