v
Sean Kennedy 9'
1-0
Andy Quaid 14'
1-1
 31' Enda Curran
Nathan Gleeson 32'
44' Mark Walsh
Sean O'Connell 57'
Andy Quaid 60'
Matt Keane 90+2'

Video

Details

Date Time League Season
3 March 2023 7:45 pm LOI Men's First Division 2023

Match Report

10 man Kerry pick up historic first point at home

Kerry FC have picked up their first points in the League of Ireland after Treaty United pulled one back to share the points in Mounthawk Park.

Sean Kenendy sent the home supporters into raptures as a week on from Leo Gaxha’s strike in Bray, he made history scoring the first goal for Kerry on home soil, a better showing from the Kerry side than what we saw against Cobh.

Wayne Gutherie was a big performer for Kerry FC but he was breached by Enda Curran with a real poachers finish to latch onto a cross hitting the bar.

It was a nip and tuck start to the tie as chances came at both ends, Nathan Gleeson did well to win an over the top ball, options inside but Anto O’Donnell produced an acrobatic clearance to clear an attempted cross.

Treaty tested the Kerry FC defence early, a throw in on the left wing was sent into the area but the ball ended up in the hands of Wayne Gutherie, minutes later another chance fell for the Treaty men, a dangerous cross into the area found the head of Dean George but it just went over the crossbar.

As Kerry settled into the game they would make the breakthrough after nine minutes, Sean McGrath played a lovely ball wide for Leo Gaxha, the forward cutting in and doing some trickery before a cross into the six yard area eluded Shane Hallahan as Sean Kennedy got a toe to it to put Kerry ahead.

Treaty should have pulled one back after 20 minutes, Enda Curran ghosted into space as the Kerry backline went napping, he received the ball in the area but the strike was wayward, not what we have come to see from him.

Wayne Gutherie had to pull off a number of saves to keep Kerry in the tie, saving a one on one from Dean George before having to deal with a few crosses into the area but he did well to clear the danger.

The goal would come for Treaty after the half hour mark as Conor Barry lofted a ball into the area, it would trickle across the Kerry crossbar and fell to Curran who would not miss this time as he found the net to equalise.

Guterie was the busier of the keepers and needed to be at his best to deny Geroge once more with his feet, he had to come out of the area minutes later to clear a dangerous over the top ball but his midfield failed to deal with it and the danger remained as George struck from range but it went wide.

Kerry did have chances but nothing that would put them back in the lead, McGrath stung the hands of Hallahan just before the half concluded as the sides went in level at the interval.

Chances came and went as we entered the second half, Gaxha sent a great ball into the area but Treaty cleared, at the other end George was dangerous and sent a ball into the area but Conor Barry missed the chance, Kalen Spillane would produce a crucial tackle to stop Curran bearing down on goal.

Kerry would be reduced to ten men as Andy Quaid was given a second yellow card after going in late to try and win possession, he was to be subbed off as Kerry had men ready but had to go to Plan B as Quaid went for an early shower.

Gaxha almost grabbed his second goal for Kerry after 72 minutes, Matt Keane with a long searching through ball for the youngster to race onto, beat the Treaty backline for pace but his effort went wide.

At the other end Curran had another great chance but his shot was saved by Gutherie, the pressure remained, Kevin Williams having to clear off the line before Barry struck an effort wide of the posts.

Kerry held on their backs to the walls with ten men on the field, defending with everything Gutherie making big saves and the defence holding a solid line and it was a dramatic ending as Kerry snatched a point.

Kerry FC
1Wayne Gutherie Goalkeeper
3Sean O’Connell Midfielder 57'
4Shane Gutherie 27 Defender
5Kalen Spillane Defender
7Seán McGrath 23 Forward
8Matt Keane Midfielder 90+2'
10Leo Gaxha Forward
11Sean Kennedy Midfielder 9'
14Andy Quaid Midfielder 14'
60'
15Kevin Williams Defender
17Nathan Gleeson 28 Forward 32'
30Aaron O’Sullivan Goalkeeper
6Alex Ainscough Midfielder
9Ryan Kelliher Forward
18Samuel Aladesanusi Defender
23Ronan Teahan 7 Midfielder
24Jonathan Hannafin Defender
26Steven McCarthy Forward
27Graham O’Reilly 4 Midfielder
28Cian Brosnan 17 Forward

Treaty Utd
13Shane Hallahan Goalkeeper
2Ben O’Riordan 21 Defender
3Marc Ludden Defender
5Lee Devitt Midfielder
6Anthony O’Donnell Defender
7Conor Barry 20 Midfielder
10Dean George 9 Forward
15Andy Spain Defender
16William Armshaw 8 Midfielder
19Enda Curran 18 Forward 31'
25Mark Walsh Midfielder 44'
24Joshua Coady Goalkeeper
8Alec Byrne 16 Midfielder
9Success Edogun 10 Forward
17Scott Kirkland Midfielder
18Colin Kelly 19 Forward
20Martin Coughlan 7 Midfielder
21Colin Conroy 2 Midfielder
22Darren Collins Forward
29Josh Quinlivan Midfielder

Timeline

11. Sean Kennedy 9' 
14. Andy Quaid 14' 
  31' 19. Enda Curran
13. Nathan Gleeson 32' 
  44' 25. Mark Walsh
  46' Ben O'Riordan
Colin Conroy
3. Sean O'Connell 57' 
14. Andy Quaid 60' 
Seán McGrath
Ronan Teahan		 63' 
Shane Gutherie
Graham O'Reilly		 63' 
  66' William Armshaw
Alec Byrne
Nathan Gleeson
Cian Brosnan		 76' 
  76' Dean George
Success Edogun
  81' Conor Barry
Martin Coughlan
  82' Enda Curran
Colin Kelly
12. Matt Keane 90+2' 
  • 95'

    Its all over and Kerry have a point on the board, it finishes here Kerry 1- Treaty 1

  • 92'

    Yellow for Keane, danger still here for Treaty

  • 81'

    Late change for Treaty as Martin Coughlan is in for Conor Barry

  • 76'

    Change again for both teams as Success Edogun replaces Dean George while Cian Brosnan is in for Nathan Gleeson

  • 75'

    Kerry living dangerously here as Kevin Williams clears off the line before Barry has another effort that goes wide

  • 73'

    Gutherie again makes a huge save to deny Curran from close range

  • 72'

    GAXHA COMES SO CLOSE, he gets on the end of a Matt Keane through ball and his pace puts him through on goal but his shot goes inches wide

  • 66'

    Changes for both teams as Alec Byrne comes in for William Armshaw while Ronan Teahan is on for Sean McGrath

  • 63'

    First change for Kerry they were looing to make one before the sending off and Graham O\'Reilly replaces Shane Gutherie as Kevin Williams moves to centre half

  • 60'

    Kerry are down to ten men as Andy Quaid gets his marches orders with a second yellow after making a crunching tackle

  • 57'

    Gaxha goes into the book for a jersey pull, their third card of the evening

  • 55'

    KALEN SPILLANE STOPS A GREAT TREATY CHANCE, Gutherie makes a mistake and Curran is through on goal but Kalen Spillane does well to stretch in and tackle the ball away to stop a chance

  • 53'

    George causes more danger in the Kerry defence, this time goes wide and crosses into the area where Conor Barry is there and his strike goes wide

  • 47'

    Another big chance for Kerry as Gaxha whips a ball ito the area but Curran does well to clear the danger

  • 46'

    Second half underway here as Colin Cory replaces Ben 'Riordan at the break

  • 47'

    Half Time here in Tralee and honours even as Sean Kennedy opened the scoring before Curran pulled one back

  • 36'

    Almost a second for the Treaty men, Gutherie comes out of his area to head away a ball in behind, the Kerry mifield struggles to deal with the danger and as Guterie is stranded Geroge tries an effort from range but it trickles left and wide

  • 32'

    Gleeson commits a foul and goes into the notebook

  • 31'

    Treaty have cancelled it out as Conor Barry crosses it hits the bar and falls perfectly for Curran to tap it into an empty net

  • 28'

    A big few minutes from Wayne Gutherie as the keeper first saved a one on one from Dean George before having to deal with a few crosses into the area

  • 20'

    CURRAN MISSES A SITTER, the Treaty forward ghosts into space as the Kerry backline goes napping, received the ball in the area but the strike was wayward, not what we have come to see from him

  • 15'

    Quaid goes into the book, Kerry have been well against it since their opener plenty of crosses into the area but they have done enough so far

  • 9'

    GOAL FOR KERRY FC, Sean Kennedy makes history the first goal scorer at a home tie in Tralee, Leo Gaxha delivers into the six yard box and Kennedy gets a toe

  • 7'

    Big chance for Treaty as a dangerous cross into the area finds the head of Dean George but it just goes over the crossbar

  • 4'

    Treaty have a throw in and opted for a long one into the area but the ball ends up in the hands of Wayne Gutherie

  • 3'

    Early sign of threat from the hosts as Nathan Gleeson does well this win an over the top ball, options inside but Anto O’Donnell produced an acrobatic clearance to clear an attempted cross

  • 1'

    AND WE ARE OFF

  • Smoke covers the left hand side of the field as the Treaty Ultras make their presence known already

  • Teams are now out on the field as we shortly await kick off

  • For the first time in 3099 days Shane Halahan starts a game in the first division, formally with Cobh Ramblers, the shot stopper is out to impress this evening

  • For Treaty two changes for them as Shane Hallahan & Dean George come in for Conor Winn & Stephen Christopher who both miss out on the matchday squad.

  • Good news for Kerry is Matt Keane is passed fit and will start as captain this evening, they have one change from the 3-1 defeat in Bray, Trpimir Vrljicak is out with an ankle injury as Nathan Gleeson starts in his palace

  • The managers are no stranger to eachother too as Tommy Barrett coached Billy Dennehy during both having spells at Limerick FC

  • Both teams are without a win this season and also have scored no points, but Kerry have managed a goal as Treaty have had two 1-0 results

  • A warm welcome from Tralee as Kerry FC have their second ever home tie in the league as Treaty United come to town

Ground

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

Diarmuid Kearney is a freelance Sports Journalist based in Co Kerry. He has more than 5 years experience covering domestic and international soccer for different media organisations, while also working for local and national print and digital organisations covering GAA.