David Moriarty reports on Kerry’s game against Finn Harps last night in Tralee…
KERRY FC 1-1 FINN HARPS
Kerry FC returned to Mounthawk Park in League of Ireland action for the first time since a tough 4-1 loss to Cork City two weeks ago. Kerry FC have faced a tough few weeks in the League of Ireland with just five points in their last eleven league games.
Harps on the other hand are giving themselves a great chance at finishing in the promotion places with ten points out of a possible twelve, most recently drawing 2-2 away to Cork City last week in Turners Cross.
A win in Tralee would put themselves in the conversation for a promotion place with just three games remaining.
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First Team Head Coach Conor McCarthy would be without Ryan Kelliher for the game on Friday as he picked up a slight injury in the game away to Bray Wanderers last Friday
Although the results on the pitch haven’t been the best, there was great news for the club on Wednesday as Kerry FC received funding of €387,983 from the community sport fund. This will further escalate Mounthawk Park for supporters and players in the coming future.
The first half was a very cagey affair with neither side really getting many opportunities to get themselves ahead. Kerry FC had an attempt early on with a ball being whipped into the area by Kennedy Amechi towards Cian Brosnan but seventeen year old goalkeeper Oisin Cooney was well out to claim it.
Success Edugon had the first chance on goal for Finn Harps by getting past Sean O’Connell on the right wing and getting his shot off with his left foot. It was looking like it was on target but rose in the end and went over the crossbar clear of any danger for the Kerry FC defence.
Kennedy Amechi was in the action once again and had possibly Kerry FC’s best chance of the first half when he got into the area and had a shot with his right foot low and hard into the side netting. It was much better from Kerry FC compared to previous games in an attacking sense.
Kerry FC were fantastic in nullifying any Finn Harps attacking attempt with the midfield working tirelessly in getting the ball back. Kerry turned over the ball numerous times from Finn Harps attacks and the work off the ball was exceptional throughout. Half an hour in, Ethan Kos headed over the crossbar from a corner and the home side were getting closer and closer to taking the lead.
Cian Brosnan got a shot away in space just inside the box nine minutes before the final whistle of the first forty five minutes but with little power Cooney gathered it easily. Kerry FC put in a great first half performance and all they were lacking was a goal. It was important that Kerry FC started the second half the same way they finished the first because a drop in performance would be easily punished by Finn Harps target man Success Edugon and the pace he possesses.
Kennedy Amechi came close again eleven minutes into the second half. He put a great ball into the six yard box but unfortunately there was nobody there to get on the end of it.
Oran Crowe leaped high to get on the end of a Cian Brosnan cross and it was cleared off the line by the Harps defence and nearly put into their own net. It eventually came to nothing. As the game wore on it felt like it would be another night for Kerry FC in front of goal as they could not get one over the line, figuratively and literally.
Nine minutes after that golden opportunity for Crowe, completely against the run of play, Finn Harps would take the lead. Good work between Success Edugon and Sean Patton opened up a pass for Patrick Ferry who took the shot on first time on the edge of the box and he slotted it into the bottom left corner past Antonio Tuta. A golden goal in the stage of the game by Harps who were far from their best on the evening.
Eleven minutes later Kerry FC would equalise through Sean McGrath who bagged his tenth goal in a Kerry FC jersey. Brilliant work once again from Nathan Gleeson on that left wing opened an opportunity for himself who toe-poked a shot at goal. Cooney did very well to get down to it but McGrath was there to tap in the rebound and get the home side level.
In the first minute of additional time Oran Crowe had an unbelievable opportunity to win it but his shot was equalled by Cooney who prevented his side from falling to a double blow in the late stages. It ended in a draw and Kerry FC showed positive signs as they head into the final three games of the season. They travel to Cobh Ramblers next Friday in their penultimate away game of the league season and look to improve even further on their performance from Friday night. The draw brings Kerry FC back to ninth on the table, ahead of Longford on goal difference
KERRY FC TEAM: 1. ANTONIO TUTA, 23. FINN BARRETT, 6. ETHAN KOS, 5. ANDY SPAIN (C), 3. SEAN O’CONNELL, 8. RONAN TEAHAN, 4. ORAN CROWE, 7. SEAN MCGRATH (GOAL ‘81), 13. NATHAN GLEESON, 11. DANIEL OKWUTE, 17. CIAN BROSNAN
SUBS: DARRAGH FOLEY, VICTOR UDEZE, ROB VASIU, TOM HEALY, ANDREW KERINS, KENNEDY AMECHI, BOBBY AMADASUN, VALERII DOLIA
FINN HARPS TEAM: 25. OISIN COONEY, 2. JAMIE WASTON, 3. KEVIN JORDAN, 5. MATTHEW MAKINSON, 6. NOE BABA, 7. PATRICK FERRY (GOAL ‘70), 8. MAX HUTCHINSON, 9. SUCCESS EDUGON, 10. SEAN PATTON, 22. DAVID CAWLEY, 26. TONY MCNAMEE.
SUBS: COREY SHERIDAN, LUKE O’BRIEN, MAX JOHNSTON, GAVIN GILMORE, BRUCE STRACHAN, AARON MCLAUGHLIN, GAVIN MCATEER. LUKE O’BRIEN