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Ivan Hurley previews tomorrow night’s game where Kerry FC travel to Dublin to take on UCD in the Airtricity League of Ireland Division 1…
So the halfway point of the 2024 season has come and gone and there is a lot to be upbeat for from a Kerry standpoint.
Fifteen points on the board to date, five more than the total for the entire season in 2023 has smiles on the faces of the Kerry faithful in Mounthawk Park.
Speaking of smiles, Monday blues weren’t being long quenched on the June Bank Holiday. An impressive display from the first to the ninty seventh minute saw Kerry beat Treaty United by 2 goals to 1 in Mounthawk Park.
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Kennedy Amechi’s goal was followed by an own goal early in the second half. Enda Curran’s penalty turned out to only be a consolation goal in the end and a late red card for the Limerick veteran meant it was a cameo to forget for him.
So Kerry closed the gap to the early league leaders to 3 points as Kerry’s eyes are firmly set on a move up the table rather than down.
But as home wins start arriving like buses, ironically it is away wins and points that Kerry are craving this June. Four straight defeats away from home has the Kingdom pointless on the road since mid-April and it is sure to be a run of form that Conor McCarthy will want stamped out sooner rather than later.
A trip to the students of UCD AFC in Belfield awaits the Kingdom tomorrow and it’s sure to be as tough a task as any. UCD come into the game in 2nd place, 9 points adrift of league leaders Cork City as they look to close the gap to automatic promotion.
But the lack of victories in recent games for the students will boost Kerry FC’s confidence ahead of this one. In fact, since the sides met last month in Mounthawk, the Belfield outfit have gone on a run of 4 straight draws, the last 2 being scoreless.
So Kerry will have plenty to be positive about ahead of the trip to Baile Athá Cliath. Kerry’s first-ever game in the capital ended in a 1-1 draw on Matchday 8, a fine effort from the Kingdom on that occasion.
With the summer break coming up after next Thursday’s game against basement side Longford Town, a swing of 6 points could be huge in a push up the table post the break as the season begins to ramp up again.
California native Ethan Kos is the only man to have worn the UCD and Kerry FC jerseys. The Kerry defender played his trade with UCD during his studies there last year, but not for their League of Ireland but the side playing in the Leinster Senior League.
Kos was snapped up for Kerry in the summer window of 2023 and hasn’t looked back since.
Kerry FC have reported a full bill of health ahead of the trip to Dublin tomorrow. Despite taking a few heavy hits during the Treaty United game on Monday night, Ethan Kos and Nathan Gleeson are both fully fit.
Jack Kavanagh continues his return to full fitness and is in contention for a place on the Matchday 20. With this being the third game in 7 days, rotation will be key to results.
Conor McCarthy said; “Everyone can see this group has gone up a level and is capable of getting a result against anyone in this league. So if we go up there with the right attitude and perform like we have performed I think we have a great chance.
“Obviously, we went up there early in the season and grabbed a point, we had a late goal ruled out for a very close offside. If the application is right then we definitely have a chance, 100%.”
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