A late missed penalty from Ryan Kelliher ensured Treaty United left with three points as Yoyo Mahdy’s goal in the second half proved to be the deciding factor.

Kerry will leave downtrodden not to take a point against the league leaders. Playing extremely well from start to finish that one moment cost them at a crucial stage.

Tommy Barrett’s chagres with breathe a sigh of relief that Kelliher skied his spot kick with the final strike of the game, a draw would have been a fair result, both will argue they should have added to their tally.

Straight from kick off Treaty United had the first chance of the game Thomas Conisidine and Colin Conroy caused chaos from the kick off and Conroy struck for goal that Antonio Tuta saved.

Kerry were knocking the ball around once they had time to settle Kennedy Amechi and Daniel Okwute getting space to run down the wings, chances were few in the opening quarter of an hour, Ryan Kelliher flashing a shot left and wide of the goal.

Treaty with 15 minutes elapsed did have a further chance to break the deadlock, Lee Devitt with an incredible touch to control a long ball up field by Corey Chambers, he found the dangerous Enda Curran who struck straight at Tuta.

Pressure remained applied as Sean McGrath fouled WIlliam Armshaw. Curran stepped up to take the resulting free kick and forced Tuta to make a fine acrobatic save to parry the ball over the bar.

While Kerry had a lot more of the possession it was Treaty who were making the better of their chances. Lee Devitt forced space in the Kerry defence as he isolated Andy Spain in the air, Treaty recycled the ball and slipped the aforementioned Devitt into the area, he lashed a shot right and wide of the Kerry goal.

Shy of the half hour mark Kerry started to show their attacking intent, Treaty were diligent with their defence, forcing Kerry to play quick passes around the area, the dangerous Amechi taking the ball off the left wing, finding Sean McGrath on the edge of the area, quick feet to take it inside and his shot saved by the feet of Chambers.

As half time approached, Kerry came within the width of the crossbar from breaking the deadlock, Kelliher and Okwute linking up in the area, Okwute striking off the crossbar from close range. Minutes later in stoppage time Amechi gathered possession in the area and struck right and wide. The sides deadlocked at the break.

Into the second half inside the opening to minutes Kerry started brightly and almost found the net as Okwute looked to tap in at the near post, McGrath with a burst of pace to evade Mark Walsh and a low delivery flicked on by Okwute was turned away by Oisin O’Reilly on the Treaty line.

With ten minutes elapsed in the second half Sean O’Connell whipped a dangerous inswinging corner on the right wing that Andy Spain, an ex Treaty man headed toward goal, Chambers getting his body behind the bullet of a header to keep the tie scoreless.

Treaty opened the scoring just after the hour mark, Kerry unable to cleared their lines as Thomas Considine crossed on the by line which Tuta saved onto the bar, the ball fell to Devitt who struck the bar and Yoyo Mahdy was quickest to pounce and strike to the Kerry net.

The offside flag denied Kerry a goal in the 75th minute, Okwute playing down the right channel, Steven Healy struck at the edge of the area, the ball rebound back into his path which the on loan Galway man again fired at goal, the ball rebounding off the left post and Kelliher fired to the net

Kerry huffed and puffed and pressed in the final minutes to force an equaliser, they came close and right at the final breathe Okwute was fouled in the area by Michael Dike who came on for the injured Chambers.

Kelliher stepped up but blazed his spot kick over the crossbar. Treaty take the points and remain unbeaten, the cruel hand of fate costing Kerry a result.