Kerry FC lost 1-0 at Longford in the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division.
Words by David Moriarty
Kerry FC were back on the road Saturday evening as they took on Longford Town in Bishopsgate Stadium in Matchday twelve of the First Division season. Kerry FC have drawn their last two league games, meaning a win in Longford would be very important to avoid falling further behind some sides higher up in the First Division table.
Longford Town have picked up four out of a possible six points in their last two fixtures, so the added home factor for the Midlanders will make it an even harder test for Colin Healy and his men from the Kingdom.
FIRST HALF
The game began with energy as Kerry FC kicked off, immediately seeking to impose themselves on proceedings. In the fifth minute, Kerry registered the first real attempt of the contest when Kilian Cantwell struck a shot on the spin inside the area, but it rose over the crossbar. It was an early sign of attacking intent from the visitors, who continued to press forward in the opening exchanges.
By the eleventh minute, Kerry FC had forced a series of corners, applying pressure on the Longford defence. Despite promising set-piece opportunities, they were unable to capitalise, with Longford managing to withstand the danger.
Longford responded in the fourteenth minute when a deflected effort resulted in a corner, though Jonas Häkkinen was alert to clear the danger for Kerry. The game remained finely balanced, with both sides struggling to create clear-cut chances.
Discipline became a factor as the half progressed. In the nineteenth minute, Alex O’Brien was shown a yellow card, before Taylor McCarthy followed him into the referee’s book in the twenty-first minute after fouling Cian Murphy in a dangerous position. Sean O’Connell stepped up to take the resulting free kick, but his effort struck the wall.
The breakthrough came in the twenty-fourth minute, and it went the way of the hosts. Osaze Irhue played a ball across the box, which Pharrell Manuel cleverly laid off into the path of Aaron Doran. Doran made no mistake, finishing tidily into the far top left corner to give Longford Town a 1-0 lead.
Kerry FC looked to respond but found it difficult to break through a well-organised Longford defence. In the thirty-fifth minute, play was briefly halted as Harvey Mangan received treatment, underlining the physical nature of the contest. Despite the intensity, very little separated the sides in open play.
As the half drew to a close, two minutes of added time were indicated. Longford nearly doubled their advantage late on, but Mangan produced an excellent save from a deflected shot, pushing it out for a corner and keeping Kerry within touching distance.
At half-time, Longford Town held a narrow 1-0 lead. Kerry FC made changes at the break, with Vince Borden and Matthew Britton introduced in place of Arran Healy and Sean McGrath, as Colin Healy sought a response from his side.
SECOND HALF
The second half got underway with Kerry FC aiming to find a route back into the game. However, the opening stages were slow, with both teams struggling to create meaningful opportunities.
In the fiftieth minute, Ryan Kelliher was shown a yellow card as the game became increasingly scrappy. Five minutes later, the tempo remained subdued, with neither side able to establish control or generate attacking momentum.
A key opportunity arrived in the fifty-sixth minute when Longford goalkeeper Kian Moore received a yellow card, presenting Kerry with a free kick in a promising position. Cian Bargary stepped up in the fifty-seventh minute, but his effort narrowly missed Moore’s left-hand post.
Kerry continued to push forward, and in the sixty-fifth minute, a corner from the right caused problems in the Longford box. The ball nearly broke to a Kerry player, but the hosts reacted quickly to clear the danger.
Longford threatened intermittently on the counter. In the seventieth minute, Aaron Doran tried his luck from outside the area, but his effort was comfortably gathered by Mangan. Shortly after, in the seventy-second minute, Cian Bargary cut in from the left and struck an effort that was saved by Moore.
Kerry FC made another change in the seventy-third minute, with Cian Brosnan replacing Cian Murphy as they looked to inject fresh energy into their attack. The visitors continued to press, and in the eightieth minute, Ryan Kelliher nearly capitalised on a loose ball inside the area, but Longford cleared at the last moment.
Chances remained limited, but Kerry kept probing. In the eighty-second minute, Cian Brosnan saw an effort from the edge of the box blocked, summing up a frustrating evening in front of goal. A minute later, Niall Brookwell was booked as tensions rose in the closing stages.
Further substitutions followed in the eighty-sixth minute, with Robert Keane and Eric Koufie replacing Niall Brookwell and Sean O’Connell. Kerry pushed forward in search of an equaliser, but Longford remained resolute defensively.
Longford nearly sealed the result in the eighty-eighth minute when Daragh Murtagh fired just wide of the left-hand post. Five minutes of added time were played, giving Kerry a final opportunity to salvage a point, but they were unable to find a breakthrough.
At full-time, it finished 1-0 to Longford Town. Despite a determined effort, Kerry FC were left to reflect on a narrow defeat, with Colin Healy’s side showing resilience but ultimately unable to overturn the first-half deficit.
Kerry FC must now dust themselves off as they prepare for a similar journey next week, travelling to Athlone Town next Friday night.
Longford Town Team: Kian Moore; Daniel McKenna, Taylor McCarthy, Sultan Adenekan, Pharrell Manuel, Aaron Doran (GOAL ‘25), Dean Williams, Osaze Irhue, Alex O’Brien (C), Conor Errity, Andy Paraschiv.
Subs Used: Cole Omorehiomwan, Stefan Ugbesia, Daragh Murtagh, Francis Campbell, Sean Moore.
Kerry FC Team: Harvey Mangan; Kilian Cantwell (C), Sean O’Connell, Sean McGrath, Ryan Kelliher, Cian Murphy, Jonas Häkkinen, Niall Brookwell, Ewan Lee, Arran Healy, Cian Bargary.
Subs Used: Cian Brosnan, Vince Borden, Matthew Britton, Robert Keane, Eric Koufie.
Kerry FC academy games today:
WDL – Away to Bray Wanderers – 3
MU17 – Away to St Parick’s Athletic – 2
MU14 – Home to St Patrick’s Athletic – 2
Sligo Rovers have moved out of the relegation places in the Premier Division of the SSE Airtricity League.
The Bit O’Red have beaten Dundalk 2-nil at the Showgrounds.
Maddie Gibson and Dana Scheriff scored in Athlone Town’s 2-nil win over Wexford in the Women’s National. League.
