David Moriarty reports on Kerry’s loss against Bray Wanderers last night….
BRAY WANDERERS 2-0 KERRY FC
Kerry FC were back on the road on Friday as they faced Bray Wanderers for the fourth and final time of the season at the Carlisle Grounds in Wicklow. Kerry had a tough fixture last week as newly crowned First Division champions Cork City handed the Kingdom a 4-1 defeat in Mounthawk Park.
This was Bray’s second game in just four days with them earning an away point against Wexford FC in Ferrycarrig Park last Tuesday. Bray sit fourth in the playoff places and a win against Kerry would only strengthen their chances of finishing in a playoff spot come the eighteenth of October.
Kerry FC were nine games without a win coming into the game on Friday and a win would do a lot for the players and staff involved with the first team as they look to finish the season strongly. With five games to go in the 2024 calendar,
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Kerry FC sat in ninth place just two points ahead of Longford Town in tenth ahead of Friday’s game.
A win in Wicklow would give Kerry FC an extra boost of confidence if they were to finish their second season in the League of Ireland in a higher position than their first.
Bray nearly got off to a flying start when a short back pass from Cian Barrett had the home side through on goal but a strong hand from Antonio Tuta pushed away the ball and the danger but only momentarily as Bray would take the lead shortly after.
Harry Groome put the home side ahead in the eighth minute. A few intricate passes just outside the area between Groome and Shane Griffen set Groome up for a shot on goal which he took with great precision.
Just five minutes later Groome had another chance on the half-volley but was collected easily by Antonio Tuta.
It was all one-way traffic by Bray as Cole Omorehiomwan was the next to have an effort at the Kerry goal but his header on the end of a corner was caught by Tuta.
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In the thirty-seventh minute, Antonio Tuta was called into action again as he made a brilliant save from a free kick by Shane Griffin.
Tuta rose well to divert the ball out for a corner which came to nothing in the end. In the last six minutes of the half, Kerry FC had a few half chances to set themselves in the right direction at the end of the first forty-five.
A header from Sean McGrath, a long effort from Ronan Teahan and a close shot from Ryan Kelliher which forced a good save from James Corcoran were all close chances of Kerry equalising before half time but unfortunately, none came off in Kerry’s favour.
Bray Wanderers doubled their lead when a twenty-five-yard effort from Guillermo Almirall caught out Antonio Tuta at his near post who was slightly blind-sighted.
Bray had total control of the game from there on in and the second goal gave them the comfort to control the game at their own pace throughout proceedings.
A couple of minutes after the second, Sean McGrath had a chance outside the area go over the crossbar and was one of Kerry’s only half-decent chances of the entire second.
Cristian Magerusan missed a great chance from close range to put the hosts three ahead but scuffed his shot and it dragged wide and away from Kerry FC danger.
With nine minutes remaining in the second half Shane Griffin had a header saved from Antonio Tuta and denied Kerry of extra damage.
Bray in the end held out and went on to see out the game with a score line of 2-0.
A very tough game for Kerry FC who return to Mounthawk Park next Friday in the league as they take on another promotion contender in Finn Harps of Donegal.
BRAY WANDERERS TEAM: 1. JAMES CORCORAN, 2. MAX MURPHY, 4. KILLIAN CANTWELL (C), 5. COLE OMORHIOMWAN, 6. GUILLERMO ALMIRALL (GOAL ‘54), 8. HARRY GROOME (GOAL ‘54), 9. CRISTIAN MAGERUSAN, 15. ZACH NOLAN, 23. SHANE GRIFFIN, 31. KIERAN CRUISE, 32. JOHN O’SULLIVAN.
SUBS: STEPHEN MCGUINNESS, DARREN CRAVEN, BEN FEENEY, CALLUM THOMPSON, JAMIE DUGGAN, ZAYD ABADA, CONOR KNIGHT, JOSH MCGLONE, BILLY O’NEILL.
KERRY FC TEAM: 1. ANTONIO TUTA, 23. FINN BARRETT, 6. ETHAN KOS, 5. ANDY SPAIN (C), 3. SEAN O’CONNELL, 24. CIAN BARRETT, 8. RONAN TEAHAN, 4. ORAN CROWE, 7. SEAN MCGRATH, 9. RYAN KELLIHER, 10. VALERII DOLIA.
SUBS: DAIRE FOLEY, SAMUEL ALADESANUSI, VICTOR UDEZE, CIAN BROSNAN, ROB VASIU, TOM HEALY, ANDREW KERINS, KENNEDY AMECHI, NATHAN GLEESON