REPORT: Honours Even At Mounthawk Park As Kerry Draw With UCD

David Moriarty reports on last night’s game at Mounthawk Park where Kerry FC met UCD AFC… 

KERRY FC 1-1 UCD AFC

Kerry FC returned to League of Ireland action on Friday night, welcoming UCD AFC to Mounthawk Park after a two-week absence from home.

Kerry FC started brightly and created the first opportunity of the game in the opening minute, when Sean McGrath’s effort from outside the area went just wide of the right-hand post.

UCD AFC responded in the sixth minute when Goodness Ogbonna struck the post, before Kerry FC threatened again four minutes later. Cian Bargary delivered a fine ball into the area, finding Sean McGrath at the near post, but his effort went wide.

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Unfortunately for the Kingdom, the visitors struck first and took the lead in the fifteenth minute. Charles Akinrintayo found the net to put UCD AFC 1-0 ahead.

UCD AFC continued to pose a threat, with Michael McCullagh’s cross from the right glancing off the head of Goodness Ogbonna in the eighteenth minute and going well clear of danger.

Kerry FC responded with a sustained spell of pressure. In the twenty-second minute, Sam Aladesanusi’s cross created an opportunity for Ryan Perez, who worked hard to get a shot away, only for Noah Douglas to make an excellent save. Sean McGrath then went close again in the twenty-fifth minute, putting an effort just wide of goal.

Sean O’Connell tried his luck from distance in the twenty-eighth minute, but his effort sailed over the crossbar. Three minutes later, Douglas was called upon again, producing an excellent save to deny Sean McGrath from a tight angle.

UCD AFC threatened at the other end in the thirty-second minute when Hugh Smith’s glancing header was guided just wide.

Kerry FC responded with another strong effort from distance, as Vince Borden’s strike in the thirty-fourth minute was tipped over by Douglas.

Louis Dignam sent a free kick wide of the right-hand post in the forty-second minute, while Charles Akinrintayo was shown a yellow card two minutes later. Kerry FC had the final chance of the half when Cian Bargary’s effort went over the crossbar just before the interval.

Kerry FC went into the break trailing 1-0 despite creating several promising opportunities.

Kerry FC made the perfect start to the second half, drawing level in the forty-sixth minute. A free kick from Sean O’Connell was delivered into the area, where Ewan Lee headed the ball into the path of Niall Brookwell. Brookwell made no mistake from close range, smashing the ball home to bring Kerry FC level at 1-1.

The equaliser gave Kerry FC renewed momentum, although UCD AFC remained dangerous. In the fifty-sixth minute, Sean O’Connell produced an excellent challenge to deny Hugh Smith as he advanced towards goal, before Matthew Connor gathered the loose ball.

Ewan Lee was shown a yellow card in the fifty-eighth minute, with Michael McCullagh receiving a booking one minute later. Kerry FC then came close to taking the lead in the sixty-first minute when Vince Borden’s effort from distance struck the outside of the post.

Matthew Connor was called into action in the sixty-second minute, making a brilliant save to deny Goodness Ogbonna and keep the scores level.

Kerry FC made its first substitutions in the seventy-first minute, with Vince Borden and Cian Brosnan replaced by Arran Healy and Colin Healy. Jayden Goad was shown a yellow card in the seventy-fifth minute, before Rob Keane replaced Sean McGrath in the seventy-eighth minute.

Ryan Perez tested Douglas in the eighty-first minute with a low effort, but the UCD AFC goalkeeper gathered comfortably. Perez was then replaced by Matthew Britton in the eighty-third minute.

There were four minutes of added time, and both sides had late opportunities to snatch all three points. In the ninetieth minute, Matthew Connor denied Sam Norval from inside the area, while Matthew Britton saw his effort from distance safely caught by Douglas.

Neither side could find a winning goal, and the final whistle confirmed a 1-1 draw. Niall Brookwell’s second-half strike ensured Kerry FC earned a share of the spoils at Mounthawk Park after a determined performance against UCD AFC.

A deserved point apiece as the MHP unbeaten record stretches to eleven games for Kerry FC. They have the chance to make it twelve when they welcome Treaty United next Friday.

Kerry FC Team: Matthew Connor; Sean O’Connell, Sean McGrath (C), Jonas Häkkinen, Cian Brosnan, Samuel Aladesanusi, Ryan Perez, Vince Borden, Niall Brookwell (GOAL ‘46), Ewan Lee, Cian Bargary.

Subs Used: Arran Healy, Colin Healy, Matthew Britton, Robert Keane.

UCD AFC TEAM: Noah Douglas; Sean Murphy, Luca Cailloce, Carl Lennox, Adam Wells (C), Michael McCullagh, Louis Dignam, Hugh Smith, Charles Akinrintayo (GOAL ’15), Goodness Ogbonna, Eoin Sheeran.

Subs Used: Jayden Goad, Samuel Norval, Stephen Mohan