Ivan Hurley previews the match between Kerry FC and Treaty United in Limerick this Friday night…

With 7 games to go in this year’s edition of the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division, the Kingdom go in search of a first-ever win in the Markets Field as they go toe to toe with Munster rivals Treaty United in Limerick on Friday night (kick-off 7.45pm).

Off the back of a narrow 0-1 defeat to the students of UCD last Friday night in Tralee, the Kingdom will come into this one looking to add points to the board in the later stages of this campaign.

With one eye at the foot of the table, it is a race for 9thplace that Kerry currently holds a 4-point advantage in.

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With Cork City coming to Tralee next week, McCarthy’s men will have both eyes firmly fixed on the Markets Field and getting 3 points on the road for the first time in 2024.

The last time these sides met was on a sunny June Bank Holiday Monday afternoon where Kerry took all 3 points in a 2-1 win that had everything. 3 goals, a penalty and a half-time substitute in Enda Curran seeing red late on.

Previous to that in the last time out in the Markets Field, we remarkably saw no goal in an entertaining 0-0 draw. With the woodwork hit 4 times in the game, we will hope to see a few goals this time around.

As for our near neighbours, a dream start to the season has come to a shuddering stop. The Treaty men are 8th but 10 points clear of Kerry.

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An 11-point deficit to the playoff places likely looks like this will be a rivalry renewed once again in 2025.

Two defeats back to back for Treaty with the latter being a 5-0 thumping away to Bray Wanderers last week is sure to make them a dangerous animal on Friday night.

Keep an eye out for former Kerry men, three in total on the Treaty side. Trpimir Vrlijack was on the Kerry books back in 2023 when the club was formed and started in Kerry FC’s first-ever game while Jack Kavanagh and Steven Healy made the switch from Kerry to Limerick during the summer transfer window.

First Team Head Coach Conor McCarthy reported no fresh injury concerns following Friday night’s defeat to UCD AFC. Andy Spain sat out the last game as he had a slight hamstring issue after the game in Longford two weeks ago.

But he missed that game as a precaution and the captain is in line to return against his former club. Antonio Tuta made his return after a two-month absence against UCD while Valerii Dolia managed 80 minutes in his first game back in the Starting XI

“Obviously it’s a different approach for every game, be it UCD last week or Treaty this week,” said Conor McCarthy.

“I know Treaty had a tough night of it last week but I had a chance to watch that game back and the scoreline to be fair is a bit flattering. Bray were very clinical and hurt them in the first half.”

“But like that, this is a different game and I can guarantee that there will be a big reaction from Treaty, especially since it’s at home. They will come out firing so we need to be able to match that if not better it and set the standard and tempo there.

“No doubt it will be a tough game but it’s an opportunity for us to go and play. Every game we’ve played against them has been good and competitive. We’ve come out on top in a number of them so I’ve no doubt if we have the energy we can leave with 3 points.”

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