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David Moriarty reports on Kerry FC’s Airtricity League Of Ireland Division One game away to Athlone Town last night…
ATHLONE TOWN 1-1 KERRY FC
Kerry were back in action quickly after their Munster Senior Cup Semi-Final win on Monday at home against Treaty United as they took on Athlone Town in Athlone.
Kerry put out a dominant display in that victory on Monday with goals from Ronan Teahan, Sean McGrath and Daniel Okwute booking Kerry a place in their first-ever final at senior level.
Being back in Athlone was going to be special for the Kingdom as it was there that they attained their first-ever League of Ireland win back in May.
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That night will live long in the memory of this team, but as performances have stepped up a level in recent weeks, they will look to make new memories for the Mounthawk faithful and the few dedicated supporters to travel home and away to support the boys.
The first half was an incredibly quiet affair with little happening for either side.
Sean McGrath had Kerry’s first opportunity of the game with a shot from twenty yards out, but it dragged wide of Enda Minogue’s right-hand post.
Athlone’s first sight of goal came through a free kick from Aaron Connolly which was laid off by Daniel McKenna.
The shot from Connolly was struck well and tested Antonio Tuta but the Kerry number one did brilliantly to hold onto the powerful effort.
Athlone finished the first half the stronger of the two sides with two headed chances going begging from the home team. The first came from Gideon Tetteh which went wide of Tuta’s near post.
The second came from Dean Ebbe which was a looping header that was close to dropping into the back of the net but subsequently went out for a goal kick.
Both teams knew they needed to step up a gear if this was to become anything more than a nil-nil draw by the end of the ninety minutes.
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Kerry FC had a couple of good attacks but nothing concrete. Daniel Okwute had joy out the right side, but a real chance was lacking from the Kingdom.
Kerry FC did indeed move up that gear at the start of the second half and it started with by far their best chance of the game from Okwute who took a shot on from the edge of the box which was saved splendidly by Enda Minogue.
Kerry then took the lead just three minutes after the opportunity and in the fifty-fourth minute, Daniel Okwute put the visitors in the lead with a spectacular goal.
Sean McGrath got on the end of a pass from Daire McCarthy and brought the ball into a dangerous area. He played it out to Okwute on the right wing who bent his effort into the top left corner giving Minogue no chance.
Kerry played well with the lead and tried to get the ball forward as much as possible, but Athlone pressured their attacking penalty area a lot.
The pressure from Athlone eventually paid off as Dylan Hand put the host’s level in the seventy-first minute. A corner was swung in on the left-hand side and was only half dealt with and Dylan was on hand to equalise for Athlone.
Dean Ebbe had a couple of great chances to put Athlone ahead but neither came to pass. The first was a header which was directed wide and the second was nothing short of a sitter from six yards out from goal that went well over the crossbar.
The game swiftly ended from there and it finished in a one-all draw with the points shared on the night.
There are great positives from a solid team display for Kerry FC. They are back at home next Friday night when they host Cobh Ramblers in Mounthawk Park.
Kerry will hope to make it two wins from two against the Ramblers after that Munster Senior Cup quarter-final win before the season started in early February.
KERRY FC TEAM: 1. ANTONIO TUTA, 15, KEVIN WILLIAMS, 18. SAM ALADESANUSI, 5. ANDY SPAIN (C), 3. SEAN O’CONNELL, 21. DAIRE MCCARTHY, 15. STEVEN HEALY, 7. SEAN MCGRATH, 12. KENNEDY AMECHI, 9. RYAN KELLIHER, 11. DANIEL OKWUTE (GOAL ’54).
SUBS: AARON O’SULLIVAN, ETHAN KOS, RONAN TEAHAN, CIAN BROSNAN, FINN BARRETT, GRAHAM O’REILLY, VICTOR UDEZE, OISIN BREEN, FERDIA O’BRIEN.
ATHLONE TOWN TEAM: 1. ENDA MINOGUE, 2. GERMAN FUENTES RODRIGUEZ, 3. JARLATH JONES, 5. DANIEL MCKENNA, 6. DYLAN HAND (GOAL ’71), 8. AARON CONNOLLY, (C), 9. DEAN EBBE, 12. CARL MUJAGUZI, 14. ARMADO AKEEM OAKLEY, 19. JAMAL IBRAHIM, 24. GIDEON TETTEH
SUBS: ANDREW STUART TRAINOR, NOAH VAN GEENEN, RUBEN MANUEL OLIVERIA, DYLAN GAVIN, SHANE FORBES, OISIN DUFFY, DIVINE IZEKOR, BRIAN TORRE, ROSCOE RUBINSTEIN
