Match Report - Kerry FC 0 Bray Wanderers 1

 

Calum Costello’s first senior goal for the club saw Bray maintain their all-time unbeaten SSE Airtricity First Division record against Kerry. 

The on-loan winger scored with less than three minutes on the clock to secure all three points at Mounthawk Park on Friday evening. 

But the Seasiders needed goalkeeper Jimmy Corcoran in exceptional form as well as having a few decisions go their way before sealing a second 1-0 away triumph of the 2025 season so far. 

It’s now eight wins from nine games without losing to the team from the Kingdom since they joined the League of Ireland back in 2023. 

The Seagulls – playing in away Royal blue - made three changes to the line-up who’d gone down to Wexford last week. 

There was a first club start for Jordan Tallon while Rhys Knight and Jamie Duggan started for the first time in the league campaign. 

Wanderers took the lead with a bizarre goal. 

Cian Curtis chased a back pass to Tim-Oliver Hiemer. The keeper skewed his clearance. The ball dropped near the right endline – with the hosts’ claiming it went out of play. Hiemer tussled with Curtis. The ball rebounded off the attacker when challenged by a defender. Costello reacted to fire to the net from 15-yards. 

Three times Kerry went close to equalising in the seventh minute. 

Luke Palmer was denied by Tallon’s vital block. Kevin Williams was then thwarted by a clearance by Paul Murphy before the line. Christopher McQueen’s shot was then turned round away by Corcoran’s diving save. 

In the 18th minute, Okwuy Okwute’s shot was deflected to Sean McGrath in the box. But Corcoran made the blockwith his leg before Kilian Cantwell cleared for a corner. 

The home side were calling for a penalty in the 28th minute when Corcoran tangled with Plamer. Bur referee Lucas Keating ruled the netminder got the ball first. 

The Bray number one then tipped Palmer’s 52nd minute header over the bar in a tight second period. 

Three minutes later, Max Murphy’s corner from the left came off the near post. 

On the hour, the home team protested for a penalty. 

Oran Crowe glanced a corner goalwards. Close to the goal line at the back post, McQueen’s header was blocked out for another corner. 

Kerry claimed Cian Doyle had used his arm to block but the match official awarded a goal-kick. 

The chances kept coming. 

In the 63rd minute, Bray sub Conor Knight saw his low 22-yard drive touched onto the upright by home reserve goalkeeper Mathyas Randrianmamy. 

With the final whistle approaching, Kerry appealed for a penalty. But nothing was given for the ball coming off away sub Guillermo Almirall. 

 

Kerry FC: Tim-Oliver Hiemer (Mathyas Randrianmamy half time); Alex Dunne (Abel Alabi 75), Christopher McQueen, Kevin Williams, Sean O'Connell (Stevan Stanic-floody 75); Oran Crowe (Carl Mujaguzi 69), Niall Brookwell; Okwuy Okwute, Sean McGrath, Joseph Adams (Cian Brosnan 69); 

Luke Palmer. 

 

Subs not used: Kennedy Amechi, Finn Barrett, Robert Kean. 

 

Booked: Palmer 26, Damien Locke 30, Okwute 60, Brookwell 88. 

 

Bray Wanderers: Jimmy Corcoran; Max Murphy, Kilian Cantwell, Paul Murphy, Jamie Duggan; Jordan Tallon, Cian Doyle; Thomas Considine (Conor Knight 53), Rhys Knight (Richard Ferizaj 69), Calum Costello (Guillermo Almiralln82); Cian Curtis (Billy O'Neill 82). 

 

Subs not used: Rhys Bartley, Harvey Warren, Kyle Degelman, Stephen McGuinness. 

 

Booked: Cantwell 81. 

 

Referee: Lucas Keating (Cork). 

 

Pictures: Adam Kowalczyk.