Kerry FC 2 Bray Wanderers 1
Bray suffered their first ever SSE Airtricity Men's First Division defeat at the hands of Kerry on Friday evening.
Under the hot conditions at Mounthawk Park, the Munster club claimed victory at the 11th time of asking against the Seagulls.
The team from the Kingdom scored a record breaking goal at the start of the match. Then claimed a late winner in what was their 100th League of Ireland match.
But in between, Wanderers were the better team.
They had superior possession and had the better chances. But ultimately – didn’t take them.
There was three changes to the Seasiders starting line-up who’d gone down 2-1 away to Treaty United last week.
Bray native Jamie Ryan earned a full club League debut in midfield.
He was joined by Guillermo Almirall while Paul Murphy started in defence.
On the bench, winger Thomas Considine and full-back Klye Degelman joined the substitutes.
Back in September 2023 at the same venue, Yoyo Mahdy scored Bray’s fastest ever goal – clocked at ten seconds.
This time round, Kerry scored their fastest ever goal – after just 11 seconds.
From the tip-off, goalkeeper Tim-Oliver Hiemer launched a long ball forward. The away defence didn’t deal with the dropping ball.
Jamie Duggan diverted back to Jimmy Corcoran. But the custodian unable to pick the ball; he was tackled and disposed by Kennedy Amechi who tapped into an unguarded net.
Although they have the majority of the ball, the visitors only real opportunity saw Max Murphy’s audacious 35th minute shot from the centre circle dropped just over the bar.
But Bray came out a different proposition in the second period.
From Duggan’s 51st minute throw wide right into the box, Ryan was bundled over in the area by the challenging Amechi.
Referee Oliver Moran awarded the penalty. Max Murphy stepped up to send Hiemer the wrong way from 12-yards for his seventh goal of the campaign.
In fact, the conversion by the full-back (his sixth so far) equalled the Wanderers’ club for most goals from the spot in a League season, set by John Ryan in 1988/89 campaign.
Playing in the away strip of Royal Blue, the Wicklow outfit went close to going ahead in the 53rd minute. But Hiemer kept out Billy O’Neill’s header.
The netminder then got down well to smothered Cian Doyle’s low drove soon after.
Then in the 55th minute, O’Neill linked with Cian Curtis. The ball rebounded back to Curtis who fired over the bar from the edge of the box.
On 61, O’Neill burst past a defender but was thwarted by Hiemer’s parried stopped.
With seven minutes of normal time remaining, O’Neill embarked on a solo run from his own half from the right wing. He burst up the middle then slipped in substitute Danú Kinsella Bishop. But his low effort from 15-yards was gathered by Hiemer’s save.
Against the run of the play, Kerry forged the winning goal.
Sub Abel Alabi’s shot from outside the box was deflected out for a corner in the 87th minute.
Sean O’Connell delivered to a crowded front post. Corcoran was unable to catch with Alabi heading in the loose ball from close in.
Kerry FC: Tim-Oliver Hiemer; Kevin Williams, Niall Brookwell, Christopher McQueen Sean O'Connell; Samuel Aladesanusi; Oran Crowe, Sean McGrath (Finn Barret 84), Ronan Teahan; Okwuy Okwute (Abel Alabi 84); Kennedy Amechi (Luke Palmer 56).
Subs not used: Alex Dunne, Nathan Gleeson, Cian Brosnan, Mathyas Randrianmamy.
Booked: Crowe 22, McQueen 30, Chris Collopy (coach) 31, McGrath 42, Williams 71
Bray Wanderers: Jimmy Corcoran; Jamie Duggan, Kilian Cantwell, Paul Murphy, Max Murphy; Cian Doyle, Jamie Ryan; Billy O'Neill, Guillermo Almirall (Rhys Knight 76), Conor Knight (Calum Costello 69); Cian Curtis (Danú Kinsella Bishop 69).
Subs not used: Thomas Considine, Jordan Tallon, Richard Ferizaj, Kyle Degelman, Stephen McGuinness.
Booked: Duggan 40, Ryan 65.
Referee: Oliver Moran (Dublin).
Pictures: Stefan Teehan.
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