Kerry FC went down to Treaty United in the SSE Airtricity Men’s First Division.
The hosts won 3-0.
(Pictures courtesy of @lukeomahony.photography on Instagram)
Words by David Moriarty
Kerry FC was back on the road on Friday evening, playing their second Munster Derby of the season against Treaty United of Limerick. Kerry came into the game after a tough 1-0 loss to UCD last Friday night, while Treaty faced worries of their own when they lost 2-0 to Longford Town in Bishopsgate.
Treaty had just one win to their name from the previous five games whereas Kerry FC’s last win came two weeks ago in a thrilling 2-1 victory over Wexford FC in Ferrycarrig Park. Both sides needed something from the game as it had more riding on it over the past week due to certain events, especially for the away side.
The good news in a week of misfortune for Kerry FC was that Ryan Kelliher was back in the matchday squad for the first time since the second game of the season when he went off after two minutes with a hamstring injury away to Cobh Ramblers.
It was a lovely evening for football in Limerick as the sun was out and the feeling of summer football came prematurely which was felt in all four sides of The Markets Field.
FIRST HALF
It was a tough start to the game for the away side as just after eight minutes Treaty United were awarded a penalty as the ball looked to have struck the hand of Kerry FC midfielder Carl Mujaguzi. Lee Devitt stood over the spot kick but Tim-Oliver Hiemer was equal to his effort as he pulled out a fantastic save to keep the game level pegging.
As time went on it was a tight game in the middle of the park, with both teams finding it hard to break down the other. In the forty-second minute, Kerry put a great move together as Ronan Teahan found Daniel Okwute down the left wing. Daniel cut inside superbly, freeing himself from his marker and put a great cross across the six-yard box. Joe Adams arrived onto it but the effort was cleared off the line and out for a corner which came to nothing.
With two minutes to go before the end of the first half, Kerry FC were penalised once again as Sean O’Connell was judged to have taken down Nikodem Kozlowski. This time David Tarmey stepped up and went to the same side as Devitt before him. This time unfortunately for Hiemer he got a strong hand to it but not enough to keep out the spot kick putting the home side in a great position going into the second half.
SECOND HALF
Treaty United had the better of the chances in the second half with the first couple coming ten minutes after the restart. The first was a ferocious cross from Evan O’Connor which was just missing a finishing touch inside the box. The second was a looping header from Lee Devitt which could have gone anywhere. Thankfully for Kerry FC, it went over the crossbar.
Just a minute after that Lee Devitt chance, Treaty United doubled their lead through Nikodem Kozlowski. Karl O’Sullivan played in a great through ball to Kozlowski who finished with ease into the bottom left corner.
Kozlowski was in on the action once again just after the hour mark as he had a rasping shot saved brilliantly by Tim-Oliver Hiemer. Five minutes later Oran Crowe had one of Kerry FC’s only chances of the second half as his deflected shot outside the area was saved comfortably by Corey Chambers.
With fifteen minutes to go, Treaty made it three through former Kerry FC player Trpimir Vrljicak. A fast breakaway set Vrljicak away and he stuck his first timed finish into the bottom corner to seal the game for Treaty United.
It has been a tough week for Kerry FC as a club and it was evident it had taken its toll on the players on Friday night. Kerry FC return back to the Kingdom next Friday night as they take on Athlone Town in Mounthawk Park.
TREATY UNITED TEAM: 1. Corey Chamber, 2. Richkov Boevi, 3. Benjamin Lynch, 5. Lee Devitt (C), 6. Steven Healy, 12. Nikodem Kozlowski (GOAL ‘57), 19. David Tarmey (GOAL PEN ‘44), 20. Evan O’Connor, 27. Robbie Lynch, 33. Eoin Martin, 34. Karl O’Sullivan.
SUBS: Carl Williams, Yousef Mahdy, Valerii Dolia, Mark Byrne, Joseph Hanson, Connor Wilson, Benjamin Lee, Christopher Horgan, Trpimir Vrljicak (GOAL ‘75)
KERRY FC TEAM: 1. Tim Oliver-Hiemer, 2. Alex Dunne, 5. Chris McQueen, 3. Sean O’Connell, 28. Niall Brookwell, 6. Carl Mujaguzi, 7. Sean McGrath (C), 8. Ronan Teahan, 11. Daniel Okwute, 21. Luke Palmer, 10. Joe Adams.
SUBS: Mathyas Randriamamy (GK), Oran Crowe, Kevin Williams, Cian Brosnan, Finn Barrett, Ryan Kelliher, Stevan Stanic-Floody, Samuel Aladesanusi, Eemeli Honkola.
Also in the First Division, it finished Athlone Town 0 Bray Wanderers 1,
Cobh Ramblers 1 Wexford 3,
Finn Harps 1 Longford Town 1,
And UCD 0 Dundalk 1.
Drogheda United are back on top of the SSE Airtricity Premier Division.
Warren Davis and Darragh Markey got the goals in a 2-0 win over Waterford at Sullivan and Lambe Park.
Bohemians got their first league win at Dalymount Park since September, beating Sligo Rovers 4-2.
Galway United suffered their first defeat of the season – Rory Gaffney scoring to give Shamrock Rovers a 1-0 win at Eamonn Deacy Park.
Derry City came from a goal down to win 2-1 at home to Cork City,
St Pat’s and Shelbourne shared the spoils in a nil-all draw at Richmond Park.
