Kerry have been beaten by Treaty United in the SSE Airtricity League First Division.
They lost 4-0, missing a penalty with the score at 1-0.
Kerry manager Billy Dennehy
Treaty started the first half the more in control of the two sides with Kerry finding it immensely difficult to get out of their own half and just ten minutes into play they got punished. A long pass up the pitch from Shane Hallahan found its way through to Stephen Christopher. An inverted pass into the left side of Dean George set him up well to get his shot off and he put it away to give the home side the lead.
Kerry down early would have you believe they would have dropped their heads, but they kept plugging away and looked to have found a way back into the game through an award of a
penalty. A good piece of attacking persistence between the forward line led to a high pass being intercepted in the box by the hand of Andy Spain. The referee on the night Ian O’ Keefe did not think twice and pointed to the spot. Unfortunately, the penalty taken by Leo Gaxha had his effort saved by the feet of Shane Hallahan. The luck just did not look to be on the side of the Kingdom and that was evident just two minutes later when a pass played forward was not dealt with and a ricochet off a couple of players in the box found its way to Success Edugon who finished off the opportunity.
Nothing was going the way of Kerry in the first half, and it worsened just eleven minutes after the second goal. Dean George found space down the right wing and delivered the ball across the box into Edugon again, who received and struck the ball very well to make it 3-0 to United. Kerry closed out the half with a decent chance for Leo Gaxha. A short corner was played through to the number ten who tricked his way in and out of the tackles to find space for a shot which just went wide of the left post.
Kerry started fast out the traps in the second half and knew it would take a huge second half performance to take anything from the game. An attempt straight away in the opening seconds of the half from Gaxha was saved and the rebound from Ryan Kelliher who scored last time out at home to Galway had his shot go narrowly wide of the post. Another chance came for Kerry when a free kick delivered in from the right side of the box found substitute Alex Ainscough. He had his effort from close range blocked and put out for a corner that was dealt with by Treaty.
Kerry’s pressure at the start of the second half would cruelly go undone. Treaty added a fourth when a corner delivered into the area by Conor Barry was headed in by Ben O’Riordan. The goal was a bit controversial however when the piece of attacking play looked like it should have been stopped due to an injury to Gaxha which led to the corner being awarded. With that said, the goal stood, and the home side went away comfortable 4-0 winners.
Kerry head to Cobh on Monday evening.
KERRY FC TEAM: 1. WAYNE GUTHRIE (C), 2. ROB VASIU, 18. SAMUEL ALADESANUSI, 15. KEVIN WILLIAMS, 22. CIAN BARRETT, 23. RONAN TEAHAN, 4. SHANE GUTHRIE, 10, LEO GAXHA, 9. RYAN KELLIHER, 7. SEAN MCGRATH, 11. SEAN KENNEDY.
SUBS: CALLAN SCULLY, ANDY QUAID, SEAN O’ CONNELL, MATT KEANE, ALEX AINSCOUGH, TRPIMIR VRLJICAK, KENNEDY AMECHI, NATHAN GLEESON, CORMAC BUCKLEY.
TREATY UNITED FC TEAM:
13. SHANE HALLAHAN, 2. BEN O’ RIORDAN (GOAL ‘74), 5. LEE DEVITT (C), 6. ANTHONY O’DONNELL (DARREN NWANKWO ‘46), 7. CONOR BARRY, 8. ALEC BYRNE, 9. SUCCESS EDOGUN (GOAL 26’, 37’) (COLIN KELLY ‘75), 10. DEAN GEORGE (GOAL ‘10) (ENDA CURRAN ‘63), 11. STEPHEN CRISTOPHER (WILLIAM ARMSHAW ‘63), 15. ANDREW SPAIN, 21. COLIN CONROY (MARTIN COUGHLAN ‘75).
Galway United preserved their flawless record at the top with a 1-nil defeat of Cobh.
Waterford came from behind to win 2-1 at ten-man Bray.
And a Frantz Pierrot hat-trick gave Athlone a 3-nil win at home to Wexford.
Finn Harps and Longford drew one-apiece.
Bohemians conceded late away to UCD to see their lead at the top of the SSE Airtricity Premier Division cut to three-points last night.
Declan Devine’s side had to settle for a 1-1 draw.
Colm Whelan’s second goal in as many games helped Derry City to a 2-nil win at home to St. Pat’s.
Johnny Kenny scored against his former side as Shamrock Rovers beat Sligo 2-1.
Ten-man Drogheda thought they’d secured a point in the Louth derby at Oriel Park, only for John Martin to secure a 3-2 win for Dundalk in stoppage time.
While Cork remain second-from-bottom after going down 2-1 at Shelbourne.
TODAY:
EA Sports League Of Ireland Academy Development Programme
Kerry 17s home to Treaty United @ 2
Kerry 14s away to Shamrock Rovers @ 3
There’s a top-of-the-table clash in the SSE Airtricity Women’s Premier Division this evening.
Leaders Peamount play host to Shamrock Rovers from 5.
At the same time, Cork City host Bohemians, and Sligo Rovers face Athlone.
There’s a 4pm start to the meeting of DLR Waves and Galway United.
While Wexford Youths will look to arrest their slump in form when they face Shelbourne from 6.
