Details

Date Time League Season
6 October 2023 7:45 pm LOI Men's First Division 2023

Match Report

Wexford Secure Promotion Play-Off Spot

Wexford FC secured their spot in the First Division playoffs tonight with a hard earned victory over Kerry FC in Mounthawk Park.

Webb’s superb strike inside the first five minutes gave the away side the lead before Kelliher's 10th league goal of the season put Kerry level. Thomas Oluwa netted the winner with twenty minutes to go from close range.

Kerry face Waterford next Saturday in their final home game of the season with Wexford facing a home tie against Cobh, two sides who look likely to meet in the postseason.

The side looking for their first playoff appearance in their history started in fine form, controlling all the early possession with Kerry struggling to get a hold of the ball.

The away side took the lead through a real moment of magic, Reece Webb picked up the ball on the right hand side and got past the Kerry left back Sean O’Connell before unleashing a fine effort into the top left hand corner, nothing that Axworthy could do about it as Wexford took the lead.

It took going behind for Kerry FC to find their feet, with Sean O’Connell and Ethan Kos proving likely on the Kerry left. Sean McGrath and Nathan Gleeson had efforts off target before the first major chance which Kerry took.

Ethan Kos played a long ball along the floor to Ryan Kelliher who picked it up off the left and did well to hold up, before sitting down his defender, shifting the ball to his right and bending an effort into the far corner past Ireland u21 International Owen Mason.

After the equaliser, the remainder of the half played out in a very entertaining fashion, with both sides showing no fear in playing forward passes, a lot of which coming from the space in midfield. Neither team managed to take a lead before the half as the sides went in level.

The intensity began to die down in the second half along with the swirling win, as the yellow cards started to flash. First Dobbs of Wexford followed seconds later by Gleeson for the hosts. Wexford did force a free kick from 20 yards which Crawford stood over but just bent the ball too far past the post, a tough position to score from.

Wexford retook the lead with just over twenty minutes on the clock, the ball was played in from the left which broke to Cian O’Malley who laid the ball back to Oluwa who was free in the box and slotted into the bottom left corner from about 10 yards. There was some worry for Kerry as a clash near the edge of the box left Cian Barrett down with a head injury for a couple of minutes, needing to be replaced by Alex Ainscough.

The away side were unlucky not to double their lead six minutes from time, Corban Piper saw his initial effort blocked but caught the rebound well, only to be denied by Ethan Kos on the line for Kerry, The American centre back once again putting in a fantastic performance.

Kerry did push for a late equaliser into the seven additional minutes, including two chances for Cian Brosnan to float the ball into the box but could not find a teammate, as Wexford held out for victory on a historic night for the club.

Kerry FC

32Lee Axworthy Goalkeeper
3Sean O’Connell 2 Defender
5Ethan Kos Defender
7Seán McGrath Forward
9Ryan Kelliher Forward 14'
10Leo Gaxha Forward
15Kevin Williams Defender
17Nathan Gleeson 21 Forward 55'
18Samuel Aladesanusi Defender
22Cian Barrett 6 Midfielder
29Kennedy Amechi 28 Forward
16Arthur Nganou Goalkeeper
2Rob Vasiu 3 Defender
6Alex Ainscough 22 Midfielder
13Togor Silong Midfielder
19Martin Coughlan Midfielder
21Daniel Okwute 17 Forward
27Graham O’Reilly Midfielder
28Cian Brosnan 29 Forward

Wexford FC

1Owen Mason Goalkeeper
2Darragh Levingston 11 Midfielder
5Ethan Boyle 8 Defender 24'
10Aaron Dobbs 12 Forward 52'
13James Crawford Defender
16Corban Piper Midfielder
17Kian Corbally Midfielder
20Reece Webb Defender 5'
23Cian O’Malley Defender 90+2'
26Luke Browne Defender
28Thomas Oluwa Forward 69'
18Charlie Heffernan Goalkeeper
8Brandon McCann 5 Midfielder
9Eoin Kenny Forward
11Mark Hanratty 2 Midfielder
12Luka Lovic 10 Midfielder
14Conor Levingston Midfielder
15Danny Furlong Forward
24Max Kelly Midfielder
25Aaron Doran Midfielder
  • 97'

    Wexford hold out and secure a promotion spot, a historic night for the South East club.

  • 95'

    Cian Brosnan finds the hands of Owen Mason once more.

  • 95'

    Kerry corner deep into stoppage time...

  • 90'

    Not sure how Kerry haven't equalised, everybody though the ball from Cian Brosnan was destined for the top corner but somehow Okwute couldn't force it in.

  • 90'

    Seven additional minutes in Mounthawk Park.

  • 84'

    Ethan Kos clears off the line, denying Corban Piper.

  • 81'

    Ten minutes left plus a lengthy stoppage time to see if Kerry can find an equaliser.

  • 76'

    The injury seemingly killing Kerry momentum, with Wexford now pushing for a third.

  • 74'

    Cian Barret picked up a head injury which required medical attention, he was helped off the pitch being replaced by Alex Ainscough.

  • 70'

    Wexford retake the lead, Olwua slots into the corner after O'Malley laid it to him in the box.

  • 64'

    Oluwa had a huge chance on the break but Vasiu and Gleeson did well to hold him up and stop Oluwa creating a scoring opportunity.

  • 58'

    Crawford with a free kick in the D bends just past the post. The first big chance of the half.

  • 55'

    Gleeson next into the book. Stonewall yellow, stopped a break.

  • 55'

    Dobbs into the book for catching Kos up high in front of the press box.

  • 46'

    Vasiu replaces O'Connell at half time.

  • 46'

    Half time in Mounthawk Park. 1-1.

  • 45'

    1 additional minute added on at the end of the half here.

  • 41'

    Kelliher almost set through on goal by Gleeson but the goal just evaded him heading over the endline.

  • 32'

    Darragh Levingston hits a shot from range trying to recreate Webb's effort but finds the safe hands of Axworthy.

  • 30'

    Ethan Boyle could've picked up a second yellow for fouling Gaxha through on goal but the ref deemed it minimal contact.

  • 20'

    Wexford seemingly all over Kerry until the goal but it woke the home side up, now playing out a very end to end entertaining game here in Tralee.

  • 13'

    Ethan Kos plays a fine through ball to Ryan Kelliher who sat down his man before finding the bottom right corner, Kerry back level!

  • 11'

    Nathan Gleeson bursts through the middle of the park but did not spot Ryan Kelliher running through, Gleeson shoots wide.

  • 10'

    Sean McGrath releases the first shot in anger for the hosts but finds the nearest side netting.

  • 6'

    Reece Web smashes the ball into the top corner from outside the box, what a finish. Wexford lead.

  • 1'

    KO in Mounthawk Park.

  • Teams take the pitch here in Tralee.

  • Good evening and welcome to Mounthawk Park, for Kerry FC's penultimate home game of the season. A win for Wexford will see them secure a playoff spot.

Past Meetings

(Round 27)
3 - 2
LOI Men's First Division
Ferrycarrig Park

Wexford FC 3-2 Kerry FC

(Round 16)
0 - 6
LOI Men's First Division
Mounthawk Park

Kerry FC 0-6 Wexford FC

(Round 5)
2 - 1
LOI Men's First Division
Ferrycarrig Park

Wexford FC 2-1 Kerry FC

Ground

Mounthawk Park
Mounthawk Park, Tralee Rural ED, Tralee, County Kerry, Munster, Ireland

26-year-old TV, Radio, and New Media graduate from MTU Kerry based in the Kingdom with a passion for a variety of sports.